Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090195748 | OPHTHALMIC LENS WITH MULTIPLE PHASE PLATES - An ophthalmic lens for providing a plurality of foci has an optic including an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and an optical axis. The ophthalmic lens further includes a central phase plate, an intermediate phase plate surrounding the central phase plate, and an outer refractive region. The central phase plate comprises a first base curvature having a first radius of curvature and is configured such that the lens is able to direct light to a first focus and a second focus corresponding different diffraction orders of the phase plate. The intermediate phase plate is configured to change the overall resultant distribution of light directed to the second focus. The outer refractive region has no diffractive optical power and surrounds the intermediate phase plate. The outer refractive region is configured to direct light to the second focus and has an aspheric shape configured to reduce an optical aberration. | 08-06-2009 |
20100014049 | OPHTHALMIC LENS WITH MULTIPLE PHASE PLATES - An ophthalmic lens for providing a plurality of foci includes an optic having an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and an optical axis. The ophthalmic lens has a first region and a second region. The first region has a first refractive optical power and includes a first base curvature having a finite first radius of curvature and a first phase plate having at least one diffraction order with a diffractive optical power. The first region is configured for forming a first focus and a second focus. The second region has a second refractive optical power and includes a second base curvature having a finite second radius of curvature that is different from the first radius of curvature and a second phase plate having at least one diffraction order with a diffractive optical power. The second region is configured for forming a third focus that is between the first focus and the second focus. The ophthalmic lens may be configured so the first focus provides distant vision, the second focus provides near vision, and the third focus provides intermediate vision. | 01-21-2010 |
20100085534 | OPHTHALMIC DEVICES HAVING A HIGHLY SELECTIVE VIOLET LIGHT TRANSMISSIVE FILTER AND RELATED METHODS - Ophthalmic devices are provided having a violet-light vertical cut-off filter abruptly absorbs light between the wave lengths of between approximately and 400 nm and 450 nm such that a curve when plotted as percent transmission versus wavelength has the shape as depicted in FIG. | 04-08-2010 |
20110051080 | OPHTHALMIC LENS WITH MULTIPLE PHASE PLATES - An ophthalmic lens for providing a plurality of foci includes an optic having an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and an optical axis. The ophthalmic lens has a first region and a second region. The first region has a first refractive optical power and includes a first base curvature having a finite radius of curvature and a first phase plate having at least one diffraction order with a diffractive optical power. The first region is configured for forming a first focus and a second focus. The second region has a second refractive optical power and includes a second base curvature having a finite second radius of curvature that is different from the first radius of curvature and a second phase plate having at least one diffraction order with a diffractive optical power. The second region is configured for forming a third focus that is between the first focus and the second focus. The ophthalmic lens may be configured so the first focus provides distant vision, the second focus provides near vision, and the third focus provides intermediate vision. | 03-03-2011 |
20120013844 | OPHTHALMIC DEVICES HAVING A HIGHLY SELECTIVE VIOLET LIGHT TRANSMISSIVE FILTER AND RELATED METHODS - Ophthalmic devices are provided having a violet-light vertical cut-off filter abruptly absorbs light between the wave lengths of between approximately and 400 nm and 450 nm such that a curve when plotted as percent transmission versus wavelength has the shape as depicted in FIG. | 01-19-2012 |
20120200823 | Ophthalmic Lens with Multiple Phase Plates - An ophthalmic lens for providing a plurality of foci includes an optic having an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and an optical axis. The ophthalmic lens has a first region and a second region. The first region has a first refractive optical power and includes a first base curvature having a finite radius of curvature and a first phase plate having at least one diffraction order with a diffractive optical power. The first region is configured for forming a first focus and a second focus. The second region has a second refractive optical power and includes a second base curvature having a finite second radius of curvature that is different from the first radius of curvature and a second phase plate having at least one diffraction order with a diffractive optical power. | 08-09-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090062253 | HETEROCYCLODIAZEPINE CANNABINOID RECEPTOR MODULATORS FOR TREATMENT OF DISEASE - The present invention relates to compounds and methods useful as modulators of CB2 for the treatment or prevention of disease states including, but not limited to pain, autoimmune disease, malabsorption syndrome, pulmonary disease, osteoporosis, muscle spasm in cancer, neuromuscular disorder, and atherosclerosis progression. | 03-05-2009 |
20090209536 | AMINOQUINAZOLINE CANNABINOID RECEPTOR MODULATORS FOR TREATMENT OF DISEASE - The present invention relates to compounds and methods useful as modulators of CB2 for the treatment or prevention of disease states including, but not limited to pain, autoimmune disease, malabsorption syndrome, pulmonary disease, osteoporosis, muscle spasm in cancer, neuromuscular disorder, and atherosclerosis progression. | 08-20-2009 |
20090264409 | Bicyclic Heterocyclic p-38 Kinase Inhibitors - Provided are bicyclic heterocycle-based p38 kinase, including p38α and p38β kinase, inhibitors. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds are also provided. Methods of use of the compounds and compositions are also provided, including methods of treatment, prevention, or amelioration of one or more symptoms of p38 kinase mediated diseases and disorders, including, but not limited to, inflammatory diseases and disorders. | 10-22-2009 |
20100094021 | NOVEL METHOD OF PREPARATION OF 5-CHLORO-3-IMIDAZOL-1-YL-[1,2,4]THIADIAZOLE AND (3-IMIDAZOL-1-YL-[1,2,4]THIADIAZOL-5YL)-DIALKYL-AMINES - The present invention discloses a novel method for preparing 3-imidazol-1-yl-[1,2,4]thiadiazole derivatives, particularly to a method of preparing 5-halo-3-imidazol-1-yl-[1,2,4]thiadiazole, more particularly (3-imidazol-1-yl-[1,2,4]thiadiazol-5-yl)-dialkyl-amines, that afford a high yield of pure product. | 04-15-2010 |
20100234404 | P-38 Kinase Inhibitors - Compounds and compositions for modulating the activity of p38 kinases are provided, including p38α, and p38β kinase. Methods for treating, preventing or ameliorating one or more symptoms of a p38 kinase mediated disease or disorder are also provided. | 09-16-2010 |
20110071152 | 5-MEMBERED HETEROCYCLE-BASED P38 KINASE INHIBITORS - Provided are 5-membered heterocycle-based p38 kinase inhibitors. Further provided are pyrazole and imidazole-based p38 kinase, including p38α and p38β kinase, inhibitors. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds are also provided. Methods of use of the compounds and compositions are also provided, including methods of treatment, prevention, or amelioration of one or more symptoms of p38 kinase mediated diseases and disorders, including, but not limited to, inflammatory diseases and disorders. | 03-24-2011 |
20120183660 | ISOMANNIDE DERIVATIVES AND THEIR USE AS TASTANTS - The present invention provides isomannide derivatives having structural formula (I) as shown below and certain subgenera or species thereof, as flavoring agents or tastants, flavor or taste modifiers, and/or flavor/taste enhancers, particularly, savory (“umami”) flavoring agent or tastant, savory taste modifiers, and/or savory flavor enhancers, for ingestible compositions. The present invention also provides methods of preparing isomannide derivatives having the structural formula (II) shown below and certain subgenera or species thereof. | 07-19-2012 |
20120264801 | 5-MEMBERED HETEROCYCLE-BASED P38 KINASE INHIBITORS - Provided are 5-membered heterocycle-based p38 kinase inhibitors. Further provided are pyrazole and imidazole-based p38 kinase, including p38α, and p38β kinase, inhibitors. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds are also provided. Methods of use of the compounds and compositions are also provided, including methods of treatment, prevention, or amelioration of one or more symptoms of p38 kinase mediated diseases and disorders, including, but not limited to, inflammatory diseases and disorders. | 10-18-2012 |
20130172352 | 5-MEMBERED HETEROCYCLE-BASED P38 KINASE INHIBITORS - Provided are 5-membered heterocycle-based p38 kinase inhibitors. Further provided are pyrazole and imidazole-based p38 kinase, including p38α, and p38β kinase, inhibitors. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds are also provided. Methods of use of the compounds and compositions are also provided, including methods of treatment, prevention, or amelioration of one or more symptoms of p38 kinase mediated diseases and disorders, including, but not limited to, inflammatory diseases and disorders. | 07-04-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090216855 | System, method, and computer program for remotely managing a digital device - A system, method, and computer program for remotely managing a digital device is provided. One or more digital devices are monitored. At least one matter associated with the one or more digital devices is identified. A resolution to address the at least one matter is generated. The resolution is then distributed from a remote location. | 08-27-2009 |
20100010852 | Systems and methods for configuring and profiling a digital media device - A system, method, and computer program for configuring and profiling digital media devices is provided. The digital media device is monitored for user interaction. Profile data is generated based on the user interaction. The digital media device is automatically configured based on the profile data. | 01-14-2010 |
20130254340 | Advertising in a digital media playback system - Techniques pertaining to advertising through a digital data network are disclosed. Advertisement information is embedded in multimedia data stream as structured metadata, and transmitted through networks. Multimedia players installed in different locations, or zones, in a data network are configured to receive the stream data, and detect the presence of the embedded metadata. Through a network interface in the player, the metadata information is transmitted to and displayed on a controller. A user input interface in the controller allows a user to response to the displayed metadata and select to obtain the desired information accordingly. | 09-26-2013 |
20150092947 | Coordinator Device for Paired or Consolidated Players - Embodiments described herein involve selecting a coordinator device for multichannel playback by a bonded zone. The bonded zone may be configured such that playback devices in the bonded zone may each be configured to render different components, such as a right channel component or a left channel component of media content being rendered in synchrony by the bonded zone. Selecting the coordinator device for the bonded zone may involve analyzing a wireless interface performance metric of a first playback device in the bonded zone, receiving a wireless interface performance metric of a second playback device in the bonded zone, comparing the wireless interface performance metrics of the two playback devices, selecting one of the two playback devices as the coordinator device, and causing the selected playback device to become the coordinator, or “primary” player of the bonded zone. | 04-02-2015 |
20150095170 | Personalized Media Playback at a Discovered Point-of-Sale Display - Embodiments are described herein that allow for personalized media playback at a discovered point-of-sale display. In one aspect, a method is provided that involves discovering a point-of-sale display by a portable computing device. The point-of-sale display comprises at least one media playback device. The method further involves receiving, over a wireless network by the portable computing device, a software application and a system identifier of the point-of-sale display. The system identifier to automatically configure the software application to control the at least one media playback device at the discovered point-of-sale display. The method further involves joining the software application on the portable computing device to the point-of-sale display using the system identifier. The method further involves sending from the portable computing device via the configured software application one or more commands to control the at least one media playback device. | 04-02-2015 |
20150156101 | Device Lock Mode - A system, method, and computer program for remotely managing a digital device is provided. One or more digital devices are monitored. At least one matter associated with the one or more digital devices is identified. A resolution to address the at least one matter is generated. The resolution is then distributed from a remote location. | 06-04-2015 |
20160094924 | Group Coordinator Selection - Embodiments described herein involve selecting a coordinator device for multichannel playback by a first playback device and a second playback device are joined into a zone group of playback devices that are configured to render audio content from an audio source in synchrony. An example implementation may involve determining that a wireless interface performance metric of the first playback device exceeds a wireless interface performance metric of the second playback device. Based on such a determination, the first playback device and the second playback device may be configured as a group coordinator and a group member of the zone group, respectively. The group coordinator (a) receives the audio content from the audio source, and (b) forwards at least a portion of the received audio content to a group member during rendering of the audio content by the zone group of playback devices. | 03-31-2016 |
20160100206 | Configuration of Playback Device Audio Settings - Example techniques describe may facilitate a playback device joining a playback network. An example implementation involves a computing device, such as smartphone or tablet, receiving, from a playback device, a message indicating that the playback device is available to join a playback network. The computing device determines, based on a configuration table, an audio setting corresponding to the playback device and transmits, to the playback device, a message indicating (i) security parameters to be used by the playback device to join the playback network, (ii) the identified audio setting to be applied by the playback device upon joining the playback network. | 04-07-2016 |
20160105753 | Intelligent Amplifier Activation - Example implementations described herein may involve activating an amplifier in a playback device based on an anticipated command. An example implementation involves a first playback device determining that a command associated with the first playback device is anticipated. Based on the determination that that the command is anticipated, the first playback device identifies one or more second playback devices of a zone group that is associated with the playback device and causes the one or more second playback devices of the zone group to activate respective amplifiers. | 04-14-2016 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130022221 | SHAPING SOUND RESPONSIVE TO SPEAKER ORIENTATION - Techniques for shaping sound based on a speaker orientation are disclosed. In an embodiment, an audio data stream is obtained by a zone player having one or more speaker drivers, an orientation of the zone player is determined, and sound is reproduced by the zone player based on the orientation. The sound may be further shaped based on other states of the zone player in addition to orientation. The overall sound may be shaped from one zone player or from a collection of zone players. | 01-24-2013 |
20130191749 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING A PLAYLIST BY METADATA - Techniques for managing a playlist in a multimedia system are disclosed. According to one aspect of the techniques, the playlist is structured to be able to include as many items as desired. To facilitate the manageability of such playlist, the playlist is built with a plurality of items. Each of the items is associated with metadata that includes information related to, for example, artist, album, genre, composer, and track number. The metadata for each item may be parsed, updated or logically operated upon to facilitate the management of the playlist. In another embodiment, each of the items is either a single item or a group item. A single item contains metadata of a corresponding source. A group item contains metadata of accessing other constituent items, which again may be single items or group items. As a result, the playlist can accommodate as many items as desired in a limited memory space without compromising the manageability of the playlist. Each of the items can be removed from, added to, or moved around in the playlist without concerning that an item may further include many items therein. | 07-25-2013 |
20130219273 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING SINGLE AND INTERNET RADIO ITEMS IN A PLAY QUEUE - Techniques for managing a playlist in a multimedia system are disclosed. According to one aspect of the techniques, the playlist is structured to be able to include as many items as desired. To facilitate the manageability of such playlist, the playlist is built with a plurality of items. Each of the items is associated with metadata that includes information related to, for example, artist, album, genre, composer, and track number. The metadata for each item may be parsed, updated or logically operated upon to facilitate the management of the playlist. In another embodiment, each of the items is either a single item or a group item. A single item contains metadata of a corresponding source. A group item contains metadata of accessing other constituent items, which again may be single items or group items. As a result, the playlist can accommodate as many items as desired in a limited memory space without compromising the manageability of the playlist. Each of the items can be removed from, added to, or moved around in the playlist without concerning that an item may further include many items therein. | 08-22-2013 |
20130254207 | Method and apparatus for managing a playlist by metadata - Techniques for managing a playlist in a multimedia system are disclosed. According to one aspect of the techniques, the playlist is structured to be able to include as many items as desired. To facilitate the manageability of such playlist, the playlist is built with a plurality of items. Each of the items is associated with metadata that includes information related to, for example, artist, album, genre, composer, and track number. The metadata for each item may be parsed, updated or logically operated upon to facilitate the management of the playlist. In another embodiment, each of the items is either a single item or a group item. A single item contains metadata of a corresponding source. A group item contains metadata of accessing other constituent items, which again may be single items or group items. As a result, the playlist can accommodate as many items as desired in a limited memory space without compromising the manageability of the playlist. Each of the items can be removed from, added to, or moved around in the playlist without concerning that an item may further include many items therein. | 09-26-2013 |
20130254663 | Systems, Methods, Apparatus, and Articles of Manufacture to Provide Guest Access - An example method includes displaying a playback queue for a media playback system to a first and second controller via a first user interface associated with the first controller and a second user interface associated with the second controller, the first controller granted a first access to the system and the second controller granted a second access to the system, the first controller displaying a subset of information available to the second controller. The example method includes displaying a plurality of controls for the system via the second user interface of the second controller, the controls associated with the second access. The example method includes displaying a subset of the controls via the first user interface, the subset including at least one control available via the second controller and associated with the first access. The example method includes facilitating control via the first user interface according to the first access. | 09-26-2013 |
20130343566 | Collecting and Providing Local Playback System Information - Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to facilitate gathering, aggregation and analysis of content playback and system data from one or more local playback networks. Certain embodiments facilitate analysis and recommendation to one or more local playback systems based on the aggregated and analyzed data. An example method includes collecting, using a processor, data relating to playback of content at a local playback network. The example method includes analyzing the collected data based on at least one characteristic. The example method includes generating a representation of the analysis of the collected data. The example method includes providing the representation to the local playback network. | 12-26-2013 |
20130343567 | Systems and Methods for Networked Music Playback Including Remote Add to Queue - Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to facilitate discovery and remote configuration of content for playback via a multimedia playback network are disclosed. An example method includes facilitating identification of multimedia content being played, the identification including at least one of a content identifier associated with the content and the content itself. An example method includes relaying at least one of the content identifier and the content to a playback system located remotely from a location of the multimedia content playback, at least one of the content identifier and the content remotely added for playback at the playback system. | 12-26-2013 |
20130346859 | Systems, Methods, Apparatus, and Articles of Manufacture to Provide a Crowd-Sourced Playlist with Guest Access - Systems and methods are provided to offer a restricted playback mode playlist mode to allow one or more participating users to access a host's media playback system and interact with a reduced subset of functions in that system. An example method includes providing, via a local media playback system, a restricted playback mode open to a plurality of participating users, the restricted playback mode providing a subset of playback functions from the local media playback system to the participating users, the subset including addition of content to a playlist for playback via the local media playback system. The example method includes facilitating addition of content to the playlist by at least one participating user. The example method includes facilitating playback of content from the playlist in the restricted playback mode. | 12-26-2013 |
20130347022 | Systems, Methods, Apparatus, and Articles of Manufacture to Provide Guest Access - An example method includes linking a guest controller to a media playback system including a zone player with a playback queue. The playback queue includes information identifying media items to be played by the zone player. The media playback system provides the guest controller with a second access more limited than a first access granted to a local controller associated with the media playback system. The example method includes receiving, by the media playback system, a message sent from the guest controller, the message including a media service credential and an identification of a media item to be played by the zone player. The example method includes placing, by the media playback system, information identifying the media item from the guest controller in the playback queue. The example method includes retrieving media for the media item, by the media playback system, using the media service credential. | 12-26-2013 |
20140096219 | Assisted Registration of Audio Sources - Systems and methods are provided for assisting a user with setting up an audio system with audio content services the user is already registered with. One method may involve receiving a list of a plurality of audio services supported by an audio system, selecting an audio service from the list of plurality of audio services, and determining whether a computing device application corresponding to the audio service is present on a computing device operated by the user and associated with the audio system. If the computing device application is present on the computing device operated by the user, the audio service may be set up with the audio system based on the user's registration information. In one case, the setup of the audio system with the audio service may require additional user input. In another case, the setup of the audio system with the audio service may be automatic. | 04-03-2014 |
20150058964 | Streaming Music Using Authentication Information - Systems and methods are provided for assisting a user with setting up an audio system with audio content services the user is already registered with. One method may involve receiving a list of a plurality of audio services supported by an audio system, selecting an audio service from the list of plurality of audio services, and determining whether a computing device application corresponding to the audio service is present on a computing device operated by the user and associated with the audio system. If the computing device application is present on the computing device operated by the user, the audio service may be set up with the audio system based on the user's registration information. In one case, the setup of the audio system with the audio service may require additional user input. In another case, the setup of the audio system with the audio service may be automatic. | 02-26-2015 |
20150092959 | Volume Enhancements in a Multi-Zone Media Playback System - Embodiments are described herein that provide numerous volume enhancements to a media playback system, especially for use by a system that contains two or more zone players that are capable of being grouped to form a synchronous audio playback group. | 04-02-2015 |
20150212788 | Smart Audio Settings - Embodiments described herein provide for smart configuration of audio settings for a playback device. According to an embodiment, while a playback device is a part of a first zone group that includes the playback device and at least one first playback device, the playback device applies a first audio setting. The embodiment also includes the playback device joining a second zone group that includes the playback device and at least one second playback device. The embodiment further includes the playback device applying a second audio setting based on an audio content profile corresponding to the second zone group. | 07-30-2015 |
20150220302 | Configuration Based on Speaker Orientation - Systems, methods, and apparatus to shape sound based on a speaker orientation. An example playback device includes a network interface; a processor; and a memory including instructions stored therein. The instructions are executable by the processor to perform functions including: receiving, via the network interface from a network device, an indication that an orientation of the playback device is one of a first orientation or a second orientation; when the received indication is the first orientation, then configuring the playback device to reproduce sound according to a first equalization setting; and when the received indication is the second orientation, then configuring the playback device to reproduce sound according to a second equalization setting. | 08-06-2015 |
20150277737 | Track Playback - Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture to manage tracks and/or other multimedia items are disclosed. An example method includes displaying on an interface of a computing device, a plurality of tracks in a sequential order. The example method receiving, via the interface, an input to play a particular track from the plurality of tracks, wherein the particular track is at a particular position in the sequential order. The example method displaying on the interface, a queue comprising at least a subset of the plurality of tracks to be played after playback of the particular track, wherein each track in the subset of the plurality of tracks is at a different position in the sequential order than the particular position of the particular track. | 10-01-2015 |
20150341737 | Frequency Routing Based on Orientation - Systems, methods, and apparatus for frequency routing based on orientation are disclosed. An example method includes receiving, by a playback device, an audio data stream. The example method includes determining, by the playback device, an orientation of the playback device. The example method includes routing, by the playback device, a first set of frequencies in the audio data stream to at least one of a plurality of speaker drivers based on the first orientation. The example method includes routing, by the playback device, a second set of frequencies in the audio data stream to the at least one of the plurality of speaker drivers based on the second orientation, wherein the first set of frequencies is different than the second set of frequencies. | 11-26-2015 |
20160080866 | Playback Device Volume Management - Embodiments are described herein that provide numerous volume enhancements to a media playback system. An example implementation involves a playback device playing audio content at a first volume level as part of a first audio playback group configuration, storing a first volume level in association with the first audio playback group configuration, joining a second audio playback group configuration, playing audio content at a second volume level as a part of the second audio playback group configuration, receiving a command to play audio content as part of the first audio playback group configuration, identifying the first volume level in the data storage; and playing audio content at the first volume level as part of the first audio playback group configuration. | 03-17-2016 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130317635 | Audio Content Auditioning - Systems and methods are provided for playback of audio content in an “audition mode.” A system may be providing audio content to be rendered by a group of playback devices, when receiving a request to audition a second audio content with at least one playback device from the group of playback devices. The system may then suspend rendering of the first audio content at the at least one playback device, and provide the second audio content to be rendered by the at least one playback device for a duration of time. Upon exiting audition mode, either by completion of the second audio content, expiration of the duration of time, or request to exit audition mode, the system may resume rendering of the first audio content by the at least one playback device. | 11-28-2013 |
20130331970 | Device Playback Failure Recovery and Redistribution - Systems and methods are provided for audio device playback failure recovery and redistribution. The systems and methods may be configured to cause a plurality of playback devices to render audio content in a synchronized manner, detect a failure of a first playback device of the plurality of playback devices, determine a playback responsibility of the first playback device, and cause an adjustment of the rendering of the audio content by at least a second playback device of the plurality of playback devices. The systems and methods may further be configured to detect an addition of a new playback device to the plurality of playback devices, determine a playback responsibility of the new playback device for rendering the audio content, and cause an adjustment of the rendering of the audio content by at least a one playback device from the plurality of playback devices. | 12-12-2013 |
20140003623 | Smart Audio Settings | 01-02-2014 |
20140380159 | Intelligent Amplifier Activation - Embodiments are provided for intelligently activating an amplifier in a playback device based on proximity detection. The playback device may be in a quasi-idle state when the playback device is not rendering media content. The quasi-idle state of the playback device may involve an amplifier in the playback device being inactive, while some other components or modules of the playback devices remain active. The playback device may include a proximity sensor configured to detect movement relative to the playback device. If movement is detected indicating that a user input to cause the playback device to render media content is anticipated, the amplifier may be pre-emptively activated such that the playback device enters an active state from the quasi-idle state. In some cases, the playback device may send a message to one or more other playback devices to cause the other playback devices to enter an active state. | 12-25-2014 |
20150045922 | Device Playback Failure Recovery and Redistribution - Systems and methods are provided for audio device playback failure recovery and redistribution. The systems and methods may be configured to cause a plurality of playback devices to render audio content in a synchronized manner, detect a failure of a first playback device of the plurality of playback devices, determine a playback responsibility of the first playback device, and cause an adjustment of the rendering of the audio content by at least a second playback device of the plurality of playback devices. The systems and methods may further be configured to detect an addition of a new playback device to the plurality of playback devices, determine a playback responsibility of the new playback device for rendering the audio content, and cause an adjustment of the rendering of the audio content by at least a one playback device from the plurality of playback devices. | 02-12-2015 |
20150051723 | Audio Content Auditioning by Playback Device - A first playback device may include a processor and data storage including program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the first playback device to: playback a first audio content in synchrony with at least one second playback device; receive a command to play back a second audio content; stop playback of the first audio content based on the received command; and after stopping playback of the first audio content, play back the second audio content for a predefined duration of time. The program code may then cause the first playback device to: (i) after playing back the second audio content, resume playback of the first audio content in synchrony with the at least one second playback device, or (ii) play back the second audio content in synchrony with the at least one second playback device. | 02-19-2015 |
20150220301 | Audio Content Auditioning - An example implementation may include causing a group of one or more playback devices to render first audio content. The example implementation may also include displaying an indication of second audio content, the second audio content comprising two or more songs. The example implementation may further include receiving first input data indicating a request to audition the second audio content; and in response to the request to audition the second audio content, rendering at least one of the two or more songs while the group of one or more playback devices is rendering the first audio content. | 08-06-2015 |
20150331663 | Playback According to Playback Responsibility in Group - An example implementation may involve a first playback device rendering audio content. The example implementation may also involve the first playback device detecting that a second playback device has been connected to a playback system. After detecting that the second playback device has been connected to the playback system, the first playback device may determine a playback responsibility associated with the second playback device. The determined playback responsibility may include a grouping with the first playback device. After determining the playback responsibility associated with the second playback device, the first playback device may direct the second playback device to render the audio content. | 11-19-2015 |
20160088037 | Indicating an Association Between a Social-Media Account and a Media Playback System - Examples disclosed herein include a social-media computing system receiving, from a first computing device, a first message indicating that a media playback system is associated with a first social-media account; and based on the received first message, sending, to a second computing device associated with a second social-media account, a second message indicating that the media playback system is associated with the first social-media account. The examples may also include the second computing device receiving, from the social-media computing system, the second message; and based on the received second message, causing display of an indication of the association between the media playback system and the second social-media account. | 03-24-2016 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090254523 | HYBRID TERM AND DOCUMENT-BASED INDEXING FOR SEARCH QUERY RESOLUTION - Methods and apparatuses relate to hosting an inverted index for term-based document searching. According to disclosed aspects, each bank of a plurality of banks receives a plurality of Document IDentifiers (DocIDs) in the inverted index, and within each bank, posting lists for each term are determined large or small. DocIDs for large posting lists are distributed among computers in a bank while responsibility for producing DocIDs identifiers in a small posting list are distributed by term to one or fewer computers in the bank. During operation, each term of a query is distributed to each bank, and then for small terms, only those computers assigned responsibility for a given term need to search for responsive DocIDs. DocIDs can be redistributed among computers in a bank such that results are presented from the computers that would have produced those results in a cluster having a pure DocIDs distribution scheme. | 10-08-2009 |
20110238493 | EFFICIENT AD SELECTION IN AD EXCHANGE WITH INTERMEDIARIES - A method is disclosed for optimizing ad selection in an exchange having intermediate ad-networks including: constructing an exchange graph having nodes representing publishers, advertisers, and intermediate ad-network entities, and including directed edges that represent bilateral business agreements connecting the nodes; receiving an opportunity for displaying an ad to a user that is associated with a publisher node and includes properties that are targetable by supply predicates, wherein a supply predicate is a function whose inputs include properties of the user; receiving ads that are available for display to the user associated with respective advertiser nodes and that include properties that are targetable by demand predicates, wherein a demand predicate is a function whose inputs include properties of one or more of the plurality of ads; computing a thinned graph by enforcing the supply predicates in the nodes and edges of the graph; and producing a list of ads and corresponding paths that exist through the thinned graph to the opportunity that satisfy the plurality of demand predicates. | 09-29-2011 |
20110264516 | LIMITING LATENCY DUE TO EXCESSIVE DEMAND IN AD EXCHANGE - A method is disclosed for limiting latency in filling a display opportunity in an ad exchange including: constructing an exchange graph comprising nodes representing a plurality of publishers and advertisers, the exchange graph also including a plurality of directed edges that represent bilateral business agreements connecting the nodes; receiving an opportunity for displaying an ad to a user, wherein the opportunity is associated with a publisher node; receiving ads from the advertisers from which to choose to fill the opportunity; determining whether a threshold total number of ads (T) is surpassed by the received ads; and randomly downsampling the number of ads from each of at least some of the advertisers when the threshold total number of ads (T) is surpassed by the received ads to reduce the total number of ads to a target number of ads (S) that reduces overall latency in determining which of sampled ads will fill the opportunity. | 10-27-2011 |
20120005029 | SYSTEM FOR HANDLING MULTIPLE PRIORITIES IN AD EXCHANGE AUCTION - A method for handling priorities in an ad exchange auction includes: constructing an exchange graph including nodes representing publishers and advertisers and directed edges that represent bilateral business agreements connecting the nodes; receiving an opportunity for displaying an ad to a user from a publisher; receiving ads from which to choose to fill the opportunity, the ads including respective advertiser priorities (A) and bid amounts; receiving a publisher priority (P) the ads as assigned by the publisher; constructing a priority triple (P,A,M) for each of at least some of the plurality of ads, the triple including the publisher priority (P), the advertiser priority (A), and a money payable to the publisher (M); comparing the P, the A, and the M of respective priority triples for the ads according to at least one scoping rule and at least one precedence rule, to determine the ad with which to fill the opportunity; and delivering the ad determined to have the highest priority to a web page of the publisher. | 01-05-2012 |
20150100596 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING SET OPERATIONS WITH DEFINED SKETCH ACCURACY DISTRIBUTION - Techniques are provided for improving the speed and accuracy of analytics on big data using theta sketches, by converting fixed-size sketches to theta sketches, and by performing set operations on sketches. In a technique for performing a set operation, two sketches are analyzed to identify the maximum value of each sketch. The maximum values of the two sketches are compared. Based the comparison, one or more values are removed from the sketch whose maximum value is greater. After the removal, a set operation (e.g., union, intersection, or difference) is performed based on the modified sketch and the unmodified sketch. A result of the set operation is a third sketch, which may be used to estimate a cardinality of the larger data sets that are represented by the two input sketches. | 04-09-2015 |
20150227608 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING SET OPERATIONS WITH DEFINED SKETCH ACCURACY DISTRIBUTION - Techniques are provided for improving the speed and accuracy of analytics on big data using theta sketches, by converting fixed-size sketches to theta sketches, and by performing set operations on sketches. In a technique for performing a set operation, two sketches are analyzed to identify the maximum value of each sketch. The maximum values of the two sketches are compared. Based the comparison, one or more values are removed from the sketch whose maximum value is greater. After the removal, a set operation (e.g., union, intersection, or difference) is performed based on the modified sketch and the unmodified sketch. A result of the set operation is a third sketch, which may be used to estimate a cardinality of the larger data sets that are represented by the two input sketches. | 08-13-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120143914 | REAL TIME AND DYNAMIC VOTING - Embodiments of the present invention facilitate the solicitation of user input while allowing for dynamic changes to that input while concurrently ranking the same. Ranking occurs in real-time and allows for a user to alter their contribution or vote until the close of a contribution period allowing real-time influences to be taken into account. Contributions may be provided in response to or as a part of a template driven nomination process. Solicitations of input may occur in the context of a pre-defined slate of options for voting, nominating certain options for a subsequent or concurrent voting process, or choosing/suggest more than one option such as the best of a slate of options or the individual ranking of a slate of options. Embodiments of the present invention capture all user nominations or suggestions while simultaneously providing the real-time ranking and dynamic re-ranking of those nominations or suggestions. | 06-07-2012 |
20120244505 | COLLABORATIVE AND INTERACTIVE LEARNING - The present invention helps generate connected communities of students and educators through access to an increased pool of granular learning resources that benefit from standardization of formats for creating and utilizing individual discussions on individual topics. The present invention also circumvents the complexity of existing repository systems by creating a standard platform format. Because this format is de facto implemented for any educator using the platform, standardized question types (e.g., discussion types or topic types) become functionally interchangeable notwithstanding any particular individuals utilizing the invention. The interchangeability of individual topics allows for creation of a global “topic library,” which may be made available to any educator using the system. This global topic library contains the standardized questions or discussion topics thereby allowing for quick review, selection, and incorporation into the individual teaching environment of any teacher utilizing the invention. | 09-27-2012 |
20120244506 | COLLABORATIVE AND INTERACTIVE LEARNING - The present invention helps generate connected communities of students and educators through access to an increased pool of granular learning resources that benefit from standardization of formats for creating and utilizing individual discussions on individual topics. The present invention also circumvents the complexity of existing repository systems by creating a standard platform format. Because this format is de facto implemented for any educator using the platform, standardized question types (e.g., discussion types or topic types) become functionally interchangeable notwithstanding any particular individuals utilizing the invention. The interchangeability of individual topics allows for creation of a global “topic library,” which may be made available to any educator using the system. This global topic library contains the standardized questions or discussion topics thereby allowing for quick review, selection, and incorporation into the individual teaching environment of any teacher utilizing the invention. | 09-27-2012 |
20130022955 | CONTENT CREATION IN AN ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT - A collaborative learning service allows for a participant to create and share content for discussion with other participants in an online learning environment. Tagged content along with descriptive content regarding the tagged content is received from a participant. The content may be associated with a particular topic and/or forum. The content is published into a forum for discussion amongst participants. Following the publishing of the content to the online learning environment, participants, such as educators and students, may discuss, interact, and collaborate with one another regarding the content. The content may be stored in a library of topics for subsequent retrieval by any participant namely an educator. | 01-24-2013 |
20130052629 | CONTENT CREATION IN AN ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT - A collaborative learning service allows for a participant to create and share content for discussion with other participants in an online learning environment. Tagged content along with descriptive content regarding the tagged content is received from a participant. The content may be associated with a particular topic and/or forum. The content is published into a forum for discussion amongst participants. Following the publishing of the content to the online learning environment, participants, such as educators and students, may discuss, interact, and collaborate with one another regarding the content. The content may be stored in a library of topics for subsequent retrieval by any participant namely an educator. | 02-28-2013 |
20130275515 | COLLABORATION AND REAL-TIME DISCUSSION IN ELECTRONICALLY PUBLISHED MEDIA - A mobile device application allows a user to participate in a collaborative discussion. The collaborative discussion may allow multiple users to collaborate in a formatted discussion on a variety of topics. The collaborative discussion may be associated with media content provided through a media reader application. A user may act as an administrator to create a collaborate discussion and configure parameters or the collaborative discussion via the user's mobile device. A user may access the media content through the media reader application and provide input to the collaborative discussion in real time. The media may include an electronic book, magazine, article or other media content. The input received from the user may include a comment, vote, brainstorm content, various collaborative engagement structures or other data. The collaborative discussion may be accessed through a mobile device application or a network browser. | 10-17-2013 |
20130298041 | Portable Collaborative Interactions - The present system allows for online collaborative interaction(s) of various engagement types, without the need for all collaborators to necessarily be registered to or using an identical collaboration application. An interface for engaging in a collaborative environment may allow for identical functionality or a reduced set of functionality that ensures the ability to engage in fundamental online collaborative activities related to the environment. The shared collaborative environment may be accessed from a variety of different computing devices, including various mobile devices. The entire shared collaborative environment may also be embedded an a variety of other platforms and applications that benefit from the added functionality and benefits that the invention provides. | 11-07-2013 |
20140342340 | CONTENT CREATION IN AN ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT - A collaborative learning service allows for a participant to create and share content for discussion with other participants in an online learning environment. Tagged content along with descriptive content regarding the tagged content is received from a participant. The content may be associated with a particular topic and/or forum. The content is published into a forum for discussion amongst participants. Following the publishing of the content to the online learning environment, participants, such as educators and students, may discuss, interact, and collaborate with one another regarding the content. The content may be stored in a library of topics for subsequent retrieval by any participant namely an educator. | 11-20-2014 |
20140356840 | COLLABORATIVE AND INTERACTIVE LEARNING - The present invention helps generate connected communities of students and educators through access to an increased pool of granular learning resources that benefit from standardization of formats for creating and utilizing individual discussions on individual topics. The present invention also circumvents the complexity of existing repository systems by creating a standard platform format. Because this format is de facto implemented for any educator using the platform, standardized question types (e.g., discussion types or topic types) become functionally interchangeable notwithstanding any particular individuals utilizing the invention. The interchangeability of individual topics allows for creation of a global “topic library,” which may be made available to any educator using the system. This global topic library contains the standardized questions or discussion topics thereby allowing for quick review, selection, and incorporation into the individual teaching environment of any teacher utilizing the invention. | 12-04-2014 |
20150052202 | COLLABORATION AND REAL-TIME DISCUSSION IN ELECTRONICALLY PUBLISHED MEDIA - A mobile device application allows a user to participate in a collaborative discussion. The collaborative discussion may allow multiple users to collaborate in a formatted discussion on a variety of topics. The collaborative discussion may be associated with media content provided through a media reader application. A user may act as an administrator to create a collaborate discussion and configure parameters or the collaborative discussion via the user's mobile device. A user may access the media content through the media reader application and provide input to the collaborative discussion in real time. The media may include an electronic book, magazine, article or other media content. The input received from the user may include a comment, vote, brainstorm content, various collaborative engagement structures or other data. The collaborative discussion may be accessed through a mobile device application or a network browser. | 02-19-2015 |
20160063787 | REAL TIME AND DYNAMIC VOTING - Embodiments of the present invention facilitate the solicitation of user input while allowing for dynamic changes to that input while concurrently ranking the same. Ranking occurs in real-time and allows for a user to alter their contribution or vote until the close of a contribution period allowing real-time influences to be taken into account. Contributions may be provided in response to or as a part of a template driven nomination process. Solicitations of input may occur in the context of a pre-defined slate of options for voting, nominating certain options for a subsequent or concurrent voting process, or choosing/suggest more than one option such as the best of a slate of options or the individual ranking of a slate of options. Embodiments of the present invention capture all user nominations or suggestions while simultaneously providing the real-time ranking and dynamic re-ranking of those nominations or suggestions. | 03-03-2016 |