Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090024736 | NETWORK PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS - Various embodiments of network performance assessment apparatus, systems and processes collect performance information pertaining to a current capacity utilization of a network, identify an occurrence of a capacity constraint on a portion of the network that is communicating the program to at least one presentation device, select one of a plurality of paths coupling the receiving device and the presentation device, and modify the program to a format compatible with the selected path. | 01-22-2009 |
20090037342 | SYSTEMS & METHODS FOR DETERMINING A VALUE OF AN INTELLECTUAL ASSET PORTFOLIO - Systems and methods determine an aggregate value of a portfolio of patents or other intellectual assets based upon a number of ratings. Each rating is determined with respect to one of a group of categories for each of the intellectual assets in the portfolio, including a category representing the claim strength of the asset being evaluated. For each of the intellectual assets in the portfolio, inputs corresponding to one of the plurality of ratings assigned to the asset are received. A value for each of the intellectual assets is computed as a function of the input representing the claim strength of the intellectual asset, adjusted by the other inputs for that intellectual asset. The aggregate value of the portfolio of intellectual assets is output as a function of the values of each of the intellectual assets in the portfolio. | 02-05-2009 |
20090199227 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING CONTENT BASED UPON CONSUMER PREFERENCES - Systems and methods allow for the distribution of a requested program to a consumer device via a high-bandwidth connection. Consumers cast votes for requested programs via communications channels other than the high-bandwidth connection. A portion of the high-bandwidth connection is allocated to a number of programs, including the requested program. An instruction is subsequently transmitted to the consumer device to thereby allow the consumer device to receive the requested program from the allocated portion of the high-bandwidth connection. | 08-06-2009 |
20100040326 | VISUAL EXTENDER FOR PORTABLE DEVICES - A portable electronic system comprises a portable electronic device having a screen and a visual extender. The visual extender has a thin film element and is coupled to the portable electronic device, positioning the thin film element to provide visual extension of the screen of the portable electronic device. | 02-18-2010 |
20100050199 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HIGH-BANDWIDTH DELIVERY OF CUSTOMER-SPECIFIC INFORMATION - Customer-specific information such as billing information, a listing of available services or the like can be provided to multiple receivers via a satellite or other high-bandwidth connection. The customers to receive customer-specific information are selected, and a broadcast message is created that includes the customer-specific information, as well as an identifier for each receiver associated with the selected customers. The broadcast message is transmitted on the high-bandwidth connection to thereby allow each of the receivers associated with the selected customers to extract the customer-specific information based upon the identifier and to display the customer-specific information to the customer. | 02-25-2010 |
20100156627 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING VIEWER-RELATED INFORMATION ON A DISPLAY BASED UPON WIRELESS IDENTIFICATION OF A PARTICULAR VIEWER - Systems and methods are described for presenting viewer-related programming to a particular viewer. In at least one embodiment, a wireless reader is configured to receive at least one identifier when the particular viewer is in proximity to the reader. A controller is configured to receive the identifier from the wireless reader and to associate the identifier with the particular viewer, and, upon successfully associating the wireless identifier with the particular viewer, to present the viewer-related programming associated with the particular viewer via the display or other presentation device located in proximity to the wireless reader. Viewer-related programming may including placeshifted content, viewing preferences, settings or other information as desired. | 06-24-2010 |
20100169934 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING USER POSITION VIA WIRELESS SIGNAL CHARACTERISTICS - Systems and methods are described for presenting a television program to a viewer using a mobile television receiver. The television program is received at the mobile television receiver via a first signal transmitted by a signal source having a limited range. It is determined whether the mobile receiver will exit the limited range of the signal source and, before the mobile receiver exits the limited range of the signal source, an action is facilitated to allow the viewer to continue to view the television program. Actions that may be facilitated include tuning to an alternate source of the television program, obtaining a placeshifted media stream of the television program, recording the television program on a remote video recorder, or simply notifying the viewer that he or she is about to exit the limited range of the signal source. | 07-01-2010 |
20100169945 | Virtual Control Device - A method for controlling multiple devices using a virtual device that may be displayed on a screen. The method may include providing the information for the virtual device from a set-top box to the screen. The method may also include using a control device to scroll around the virtual device and make a selection fro the options provided by the virtual device. Additionally, the buttons on the control device may not correspond to the functionality associated with the virtual buttons on the virtual device. | 07-01-2010 |
20110061109 | Controlling Access to Content and/or Services - The exemplary embodiments of the method and system according to the present invention provide a system and method for controlling access to audiovisual content such as television shows, video-on-demand services or streaming video which can be delivered by cable, satellite, wired or wireless networks, cell phones, the Internet, etc. More particularly, the present invention provides a capability to define certain criteria which can be used to restrict access to content based on combinations of various parameters including, but not limited to, time of day, day of the week, type of content, source of content, content display device, etc. These criteria may also be provided by data storage arrangements or a network, and access restrictions specified by such criteria can be associated with a plurality of display devices. | 03-10-2011 |
20110141239 | Three-Dimensional Recording and Display System Using Near- and Distal-Focused Images - Methods and apparatuses for providing simulated three-dimensional images on a two-dimensional display screen without the use of special filters or overlays on the display or special eyewear. Images having different focal points are displayed as pictures and switched between rapidly, such that the human eye automatically adjusts to focus on each picture in succession. As the pictures are presented sequentially, the viewer may perceive that the display shows images at different depth planes. The number of depth planes may vary between embodiments. | 06-16-2011 |
20110271301 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING VIEWER-RELATED INFORMATION ON A DISPLAY BASED UPON WIRELESS IDENTIFICATION OF A PARTICULAR VIEWER - Systems and methods are described for presenting viewer-related programming to a particular viewer. In at least one embodiment, a wireless reader is configured to receive at least one identifier when the particular viewer is in proximity to the reader. A controller is configured to receive the identifier from the wireless reader and to associate the identifier with the particular viewer, and, upon successfully associating the wireless identifier with the particular viewer, to present the viewer-related programming associated with the particular viewer via the display or other presentation device located in proximity to the wireless reader. Viewer-related programming may including placeshifted content, viewing preferences, settings or other information as desired. | 11-03-2011 |
20120153015 | Accessing Content Via a Matrix Code - A system for accessing content corresponding to a matrix barcode, such as a video and/or audio content. The system may include a mobile computing device in communication with a content receiver. The mobile computing device may be configured to capture the matrix barcode, for example, via using an optical component and/or barcode scanner to record and/or scan the matrix barcode. The mobile computing device may also include a network interface component configured to transmit the matrix barcode to the content receiver. The content receiver may then receive the matrix barcode from the mobile computing device. The content receiver may include a processor to determine and/or access the content corresponding to the matrix barcode. The content receiver may then transmit the content to a display device. | 06-21-2012 |
20120159563 | Accessing Content Via a Matrix Code - A system for accessing content corresponding to a matrix barcode, such as a video and/or audio content. The system may include a mobile computing device in communication with a content receiver. The mobile computing device may be configured to capture the matrix barcode, for example, via using an optical component and/or barcode scanner to record and/or scan the matrix barcode. The mobile computing device may also include a network interface component configured to transmit the matrix barcode to the content receiver. The content receiver may then receive the matrix barcode from the mobile computing device. The content receiver may include a processor to determine and/or access the content corresponding to the matrix barcode. The content receiver may then transmit the content to a display device. | 06-21-2012 |
20120188442 | Visually Imperceptible Matrix Codes Utilizing Interlacing - A device obtains a video and a matrix code (such as a QR code) to divide into portions and interlace with the video. The device generates a modified interlaced video by including at least a first portion in a first but not a second field of a first frame, a second portion in a second but not a first field of a second frame, and so on such that all of the portions of the matrix code are included in the modified interlaced video. Subsequently, the device transmits the modified interlaced video to a display. When the modified interlaced video is displayed, the matrix code is present but not visually perceptible. A matrix code reader detects and/or records and analyzes the displayed modified video to identify the portions of the matrix code included therein, extract such portions, and combine the extracted portions to form the matrix code. | 07-26-2012 |
20120199643 | Enabling Interactive Activities for Content Utilizing Matrix Codes - An electronic device may generate a matrix code that includes information for performing an interactive activity related to content, combine the matrix code with the content, and transmit the combination of the matrix code and the content to a display device. Subsequently, the displayed matrix code may be captured by a matrix code reader in order to initiate performance of the interactive activity. In some implementations, the content may be a sporting event and capture of the matrix code may initiate performance of an activity corresponding to a fantasy sporting event league associated with the sporting event. In various implementations, the matrix code reader's initiation of performance of the interactive activity related to the content may utilize one or more other electronic devices located in a user location. | 08-09-2012 |
20120217292 | Synching One or More Matrix Codes to Content Related to a Multimedia Presentation - One embodiment described herein may take the form of a system or method for generating one or more matrix codes that may then be obtained by a reader device, the one or more matrix codes including information that may be utilized to access additional content related to one or more multimedia presentations. For example, the information contained within the one or more matrix codes may include one or more web addresses that, when selected, may link to one or more webpages on the Internet containing information related to the multimedia presentation. In another example, the information contained within the matrix codes may include instructions that may be executed by an electronic device to provide the additional content. The additional content may be displayed a display device associated with the distribution system, on a reader device, or any electronic device that includes a display. | 08-30-2012 |
20120222055 | Billing with QR Codes - Disclosure is directed to receiving billing information at a television receiver and communicating that billing information to a user's mobile device. The television receiver may create a two-dimensional barcode with billing information and output the two-dimensional barcode for display on a display device. Once displayed on the display device, the two-dimensional barcode may be scanned into a mobile device where the billing information may be used to allow a user to view billing information and/or submit payment information through the mobile device. | 08-30-2012 |
20130054579 | Frequency Content Sort - A receiver accumulates characteristic information by tracking content being presented. When the receiver determines to present a menu of recorded content, the receiver analyzes the accumulated information to rank the recorded content based on a frequency of the characteristics and sorts the menu based at least one the analysis. The receiver may present an instance of content when it is selected. In some implementations, the instances of content are recorded as part of recording multiple instances of content received via at least one broadcast wherein the multiple instances of content are all included in a same frequency band of the broadcast and are all encoded utilizing a same code word. In one or more implementations, the menu may include content information for one or more of the instances of content in the menu, such as the number of related instances of content also stored by the content receiver. | 02-28-2013 |
20130055310 | Backwards Guide - A receiver determines to transmit an EPG that includes schedule information regarding content available from a provider, determines that content is stored and is not currently available from the provider, incorporates information regarding the stored content in the EPG, and includes indicators indicating that the stored content is stored rather than available from the provider. The stored content may be recorded as part of recording a plurality of content received via a broadcast that are all included in the same frequency band and encoded with the same code word. The EPG may be divided into portions that include information regarding available content and portions that include information regarding previously available content and may include indications of which are stored. The EPG may be configured in a calendar arrangement based at least on the information regarding the available and information regarding when stored content were previously available from the provider. | 02-28-2013 |
20140176673 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL RECORDING AND DISPLAY SYSTEM USING NEAR- AND DISTAL-FOCUSED IMAGES - Methods and apparatuses for providing simulated three-dimensional images on a two-dimensional display screen without the use of special filters or overlays on the display or special eyewear. Images having different focal points are displayed as pictures and switched between rapidly, such that the human eye automatically adjusts to focus on each picture in succession. As the pictures are presented sequentially, the viewer may perceive that the display shows images at different depth planes. The number of depth planes may vary between embodiments. | 06-26-2014 |
20140189743 | AUTOMATIC LEARNING CHANNEL CUSTOMIZED TO A PARTICULAR VIEWER AND METHOD OF CREATING SAME - Various embodiments facilitate generation, distribution, and presentation of a video program on a virtual channel. In one embodiment, an electronic program guide (“EPG”) manager is provided for execution on a receiving device, such as a set-top box. The EPG manager receives from a program distributor a video stream that has plurality of video programs having program content. Each program has been preassigned for presentation on a particular channel. A virtual channel is linked to one or more users. The EPG manager tracks the types of programs that a user watches and records metadata associated with the programs that the user actually views. When sufficient data is stored in the data base, the virtual channel is provided that program that a user will likely wish to view based on this past viewing history. | 07-03-2014 |