Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090300469 | System and method for inter-packet channel coding and decoding - A system and method for inter-packet channel encoding/decoding for recovering lost packets, while minimizing network latency and delay. The novel inter-packet channel encoding/decoding scheme described herein operates on a running-basis. This running-basis scheme advantageously allows for a large number of packet losses to be corrected at a receiving node. | 12-03-2009 |
20110310995 | Transcoding multiple media elements for independent wireless delivery - Transcoding multiple media elements for independent wireless delivery. Respective media or multimedia elements are selectively and respectively encoded and/or transcoded. Such respective and selective processing of different media elements provides for their unbundled and independent communication to one or more other devices. In one instance, different respective overlays of a display (e.g., a computer, TV, PDA display, etc.) are respectively and selectively transcoded and/or encoded to generate different respective streams that may each be handled differently as a function of any number of parameters (e.g., media element type, content, communication channel characteristic, source proximity, priority, etc.). Different types of media elements include photo/image, video, graphics, text, audio, picture-in-picture, two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D), and/or other types of media elements as may be included within a given configuration of a display. Each respective encoding and/or transcoding may be particularly optimized or tailored for a given media element type. | 12-22-2011 |
20110314506 | Point to multi-point wireless video delivery - Point to multi-point wireless video delivery. Among a group of receiver wireless communication devices (RXs), one is designated (e.g., as acknowledgment (ACK) leader). Media delivery operational parameters are selected based on the designated RX or based on all or a subset of the RXs. For simultaneous media delivery to multiple RXs, characteristics associated with the designated RX [or all, or a subset or RXs] govern the manner by which communications are made. Different respective RXs may be designated to serve in this role at different times. Wireless delivery of media (e.g., video signaling, audio signaling, etc.) to a group of RXs is effectuated in accordance with modified multicast signaling with a designated leader (e.g., ACK leader). Among a group of devices, a least successful receiving device that still receives media at an acceptable level may be chosen as the designated leader (e.g., ACK leader). | 12-22-2011 |
20120307147 | INTERLEAVING AUDIO AND VIDEO PACKETS - A network device receives multiple protocol data units (PDUs), or packets, and initiates aggregation of an intended number of the packets to form a transmission block. During the aggregation process, the device receives a priority PDU, or packet, and in response to receiving the priority PDU, terminates the aggregation process, either permanently or temporarily, even though the number of packets aggregated prior to receiving the priority packet is less than the number of packets intended to be included in the transmission block. The device releases the priority packet for transmission out of turn, ahead of the already aggregated packets. The priority packet can be released individually, with the aggregation being resumed after release of the priority packet, or the priority packet can be pre-pended to the already aggregated block of packets and the entire block released with a priority assigned according to the priority of the priority packet. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307746 | Fair Channel Allocation for Multiple Clients - A wireless access device transmits encoded media streams to at least first and second clients over a shared wireless channel. First and second transmission windows are established in a transmission frame interval for transmission of media packets to the first and second clients, respectively. An unused portion of one of the transmission windows is identified using, for example, transmission status information (from the wireless access device) associated with the media packets. The unused portion of the transmission window is adaptively reallocated for use in transmission of media packets associated with the other transmission window. In one mode of operation, the reallocation process may trigger a reversal in the order of the first and second transmission windows in subsequent transmission frame intervals. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307747 | Adaptive Wireless Channel Allocation For Media Distribution in a Multi-user Environment - Adaptive wireless channel allocation in a multi-user environment based on quality of received video streams. During the transmission of encoded media streams from a wireless access device to at least first and second video devices over a wireless channel, transmission windows are allocated in shared transmission frame intervals for transmission of media packets to the first and second video devices, respectively. Relative priorities are set/adjusted for the video devices based, at least in part, on one or more of the following: channel estimation information, reception characteristics, transmission acknowledgment information, video device characteristics and/or user feedback. The relative priorities are utilized to adaptively (re)allocate at least one portion of the transmission frame intervals. In addition to channel reallocation, the prioritization of devices may be utilized to adaptively alter the encoding bit rate of one or more media streams. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307806 | Video sub-reservation protocol in a wireless ecosystem - Video sub-reservation protocol in a wireless ecosystem. Appropriate access is provided to a number of wireless communication devices to ensure very high performance and a high perceptual user experience with respect to media related content communications. Access to the communication medium (e.g., air within a wireless location system) is provided to various wireless communication devices in a manner as to minimize collisions and contention. In one instance, different respective access assignment periods are sub-divided to give respective communication medium access to various devices within the system. Such sub-reservation may be adaptive in response to any of a number of considerations (e.g., traffic, device processing history, etc.). Also, such sub-reservation may provide respective time specificity at or during which certain devices may conduct communications, but may also specify any other operational parameters (e.g., which frequency spectra to use, duration of such communications, modulation coding set (MCS) to use, etc.). | 12-06-2012 |
20120307814 | Polling using B-ACK for occasional back-channel traffic in VoWIFI applications - Polling using B-ACK for occasional back-channel traffic in VoWIFI applications. Within wireless communication systems having a relatively asymmetric channel (e.g., relative more downstream traffic than upstream), certain upstream communications (e.g., acknowledgments (ACKs) and/or block acknowledgments (B-ACKs)) include indication therein (e.g., piggybacked therein) that a given downstream located communication device desires/needs to make upstream communication. In some instances, specificity is also provided therein to indicate the type of information to be transmitted upstream. Such a communication protocol mitigates (or eliminates) contention between upstream and downstream traffic in an environment with significantly more downstream traffic (e.g., such as ongoing downstream traffic that may include streaming video). A coordinating device (e.g., access point (AP)) may employ such upstream provided indicia to coordinate upstream and downstream communications within the wireless communication system in a non-contentious manner that does not deleteriously affect ongoing downstream traffic. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307885 | Channel Condition Prediction Employing Transmit Queuing Model - Channel condition prediction employing a transmit queuing model. An average transmission queue delay monitor generates an indication of average transmit queue latency during the transmission of a video stream to a remote wireless device. The average transmit queue latency is compared to a predetermined threshold for purposes of adjusting encoding bit rate (or other encoding parameter) of the video stream. In one mode, the predetermined threshold reflects a maximum tolerable average queue depth beyond which video data is likely to be lost or unacceptably delayed under certain channel conditions. If the average transmit queue latency exceeds the predetermined threshold, the encoding bit rate (or related encoding parameter) is lowered or raised as necessary to decrease or increase the transmit queue depth to a desired level. In another mode, the transmit queuing model is used in conjunction with channel throughput estimation information to adaptively adjust one or more encoding parameters. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307886 | Adaptive Video Encoding Based on Predicted Wireless Channel Conditions - Adaptive video encoding based on predicted wireless channel conditions. Based on at least one of a number of transmitter side indications of the available throughput of a wireless channel for video delivery, an encoder rate adaptation mechanism generates an estimate of the supportable throughput of the wireless channel under different operating conditions. An encoding parameter, such as encoder bit rate, is subsequently altered based on the estimated throughput value. In one instance, transmitter side throughput indicia is used to generate target encoder bit rates for multiple potential PHY data rates/channel MCS selections that may be used in video delivery. In anticipation of or immediately following a transition to one such PHY data rate/MCS selection, the encoder bit rate is altered in accordance with an associated target bit rate. In another mode, average transmit queue latency information is used to further regulate the encoder bit rate. | 12-06-2012 |
20120308008 | Wireless Transmission of Protected Content - Protected content from a media source is transmitted via a wireless link using modified wireless encryption keys. Content to be delivered under a content protection scheme, e.g. High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), from a media source to a media sink is received at a wireless communication device. A content protection key, or a digital rights management (DRM) key, associated with the media sink is used to generate DRM modified wireless encryption keys. These modified wireless encryption keys are used to encrypt the wireless transmission using wireless encryption techniques, such an advanced encryption standard (AES) protocol, and transmit the encrypted content over a wireless link. The DRM modified keys can be used, for example to seed a Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption engine in place of other keys normally used in the wireless encryption process, thereby effectively integrating the DRM content protection scheme with standard wireless encryption and transmission. | 12-06-2012 |
20120309321 | Synchronized calibration for wireless communication devices - Synchronized calibration for wireless communication devices. A protocol is presented herein that allows for calibration operation(s) by one or more wireless communication devices to mitigate (or eliminate) the disruption caused to the communication medium thereby. A calibration announcement frame is provided by a wireless communication device intending to perform calibration operation(s), and respective receiving wireless communication devices may adaptively determine whether to perform a calibration operation based thereon. In response to a calibration announcement frame, one or more other wireless communication devices may also perform calibration operation(s) (e.g., in accordance with a group calibration event, simultaneously, etc.) or may perform some operations as to minimize any effects that may be incurred during such a calibration operation(s) (e.g., enter into some robust operational mode, power savings mode, etc.). Such a calibration announcement frame may indicate respective time slots (e.g., maintenance window) during which respective wireless communication devices may perform calibration operation(s). | 12-06-2012 |
20120310531 | Navigation system employing augmented labeling and/or indicia - Navigation system employing augmented labeling and/or indicia. Various embodiments provide very accurate and timely information to a user thereby minimizing the amount of time or effort that a user will need to interpret or translate any information and/or directions provided thereby. In one instance, a vehicular based navigational system, which can operate with one or more projectors, provides information to a user such that the user need not turn away from the actual field of vision (e.g., 3D, 2D, etc.). Labeling and/or indicia is/are projected within the actual field of vision of the navigation system user. In another instance, labeling and/or indicia are overlaid or included within photographic and/or video information corresponding to an environment depicted by the navigation system. Such a navigation system may be implemented within a variety of contexts including within a vehicle, within a handheld/portable device, within a headset/eyeglasses device, etc. | 12-06-2012 |
20120311173 | Dynamic Wireless Channel Selection And Protocol Control For Streaming Media - Dynamic wireless channel selection and protocol control for streaming video utilizing transmission delay/packet loss information and channel utilization statistics. A transmission delay and packet loss monitor generates transmission delay information during the transmission of a video stream to remote wireless device(s) over a first wireless channel by timestamping and monitoring video packet(s) and associated transmission acknowledgement(s). The transmission delay information is compared to a predetermined threshold (e.g., a maximum tolerated delay threshold and/or total packet loss threshold) and, if the threshold is exceeded, a second wireless channel is selected for continued transmission of the video stream. In one mode, channel utilization statistics are likewise examined prior to a channel relocation event. Selection of the second wireless channel may be accomplished through a random or semi-random channel selection process, or through active scanning to collect clear channel assessment statistics for candidate channels. In another mode, at least one transmission protocol parameter is altered in response to a violation of one or more of the predetermined thresholds. | 12-06-2012 |
20120311654 | BRIDGED CONTROL OF MULTIPLE MEDIA DEVICES VIA A SELECTED USER INTERFACE IN A WIRELESS MEDIA NETWORK - A wireless media network enables bridged control of multiple media devices via multiple different transport media. The system enables input devices to control various output devices by mapping the input devices to the output devices. The system can map inputs to controls for output devices to enable a user to control various output devices via inputs initially provided to a different input device in a media device network. Input information can be stored and assigned to a certain input device. Input devices can multicast to various different output devices using a common signal configuration. Signals between an input device and an output device can be use a substitute signal configuration that is to enable implementation by the output device. Signals can be exchanged between over various transport media by encapsulating signals prior to transport, which can include encoding signals with additional security protocols. | 12-06-2012 |
20130091208 | SOCIAL NETWORK DEVICE MEMBERSHIPS AND APPLICATIONS - A social device including capabilities for participating in a social network group via a social infrastructure. Various functions and resources of the social device are accessible by members of the social network group. Likewise, the social device may be configured to access services and other resources of the social network group. The social device may participate in the social network group through an autonomous, automated or member-triggered process. In one embodiment, the social device functions as a social gateway to communicatively couple a child node and a social network group. The social gateway may comprise a set top box or mobile communication device, and the child node may be a human user that interacts with the social gateway through a user interface. In a further embodiment, the social gateway may concurrently operate as a child device that communicates with a social network group through another social device. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091209 | AD HOC SOCIAL NETWORKING - An Ad Hoc social networking environment enables information and device access management between social networking groups and social networking members with or without access restrictions and anonymity. Contact and access information can be exchanged and updated on the fly without requiring users to notify other contacts or contacting devices and can support underlying contact information changes, enable extemporaneous termination or modification of contact access, enable temporary access, and the like. Ad Hoc social networking can utilize unique identifiers, proxy elements, or the like to support various levels of membership anonymity and Ad Hoc social networking. Proxy elements enable SNET tear down or dissolution by retracting the proxy service from a member. Storing social group contact information in shared databases can enable sharing and updating of contact information without the need to inform affected contacts. Some social networks can include various specialized devices and related services. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091210 | Social Device Anonymity Via Full, Content Only, and Functionality Access Views - A method and apparatus for providing access to and visibility of resources in a social network. In one embodiment, access rights and related access views are manually or automatically defined for information and resources associated with a human or device member of a social network circle. Selection of an access view for a social resource may be based, for example, on profile data and other characteristics of a particular device, user or group providing or seeking access to such resource. Likewise, various levels of access rights, including content and capabilities access views, may be assigned to a specific social resource or grouping of resources. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091211 | SOCIAL NETWORKING GROUPING HIERARCHY - A social networking environment enables interaction between social networking (SNET) groups. Some interactions between SNET groups can include docking various SNET groups based upon interactions between a member and some part of a social network. Various hierarchies of social networking infrastructure can enable hierarchical interactions between social devices, SNET groups, and other elements associated with various social networking infrastructures. Capabilities provided by various elements in various SNET infrastructures can be docked to create combined SNET groups, and capabilities provided by an SNET group can be accessed via interaction with a representative view of the capabilities. Various interactions can be managed based upon inputs, trigger events, authorizations, and the like provided by various processing systems, devices, members, or the like. Various interactions can enable members associated with an SNET infrastructure to access capabilities provided by an SNET group via a docked SNET group. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091212 | SOCIAL NETWORK DEVICE COMMUNICATION RESOURCE ALLOCATION - A method for providing data communications in a social network circle having an associated membership that includes nodes or social devices with allocable communication resources. The method includes determining various communication pathways capable of supporting data communications with a node of a social network circle, at least one of the communication pathways utilizing a communication resource of another node or nodes of the social network circle. Selection of communication pathways may be based on an evaluation of cost metrics associated with particular data communications. Such cost metrics may include, for example, content consumption costs, user service subscription levels, communication channel state information, proximity of communication resources, number of hops in a communication pathway, quality of service requirements, power consumption data and the like. In various embodiments, parallel and bonded communication pathways may be utilized for shared or proxied delivery of data such as media content. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091213 | MANAGEMENT OF SOCIAL DEVICE INTERACTION WITH SOCIAL NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE - A social networking system enables interaction between various devices, infrastructures, and the like based upon monitoring, analysis, processing, and the like of information received from devices. Some or all of an infrastructure can monitor information output from one or more socially controllable devices. Upon receiving a trigger or determining a trigger event processing of received data, some or all of the infrastructure, supporting processing systems, and the like can take one or more various responsive actions, including contacting a user associated with the social devices, contacting a third party that is not a member of the social network group, contacting a service that is a member of the group, and controlling or enabling others to control aspects of devices docked with the user's group. A user can manage various levels of authorized interaction between associated devices and a docked social group. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091214 | MEDIA SOCIAL NETWORK - A social networking system enables sharing of content between various members, devices, infrastructures, and the like based upon membership in a social network (SNET group). Content can be protected by limiting access to the content to members of an SNET group, members associated with various devices docked to the SNET group, and the like. Joint access of content by various members of an SNET group can be managed to ensure synchronized access of content and interactions between SNET accessing group members. Instances of a content item can be distributed to multiple destination devices associated with an SNET group, where various instances are transcoded to accommodate varying capabilities and characteristics of various communication pathways and the destination devices and ensure synchronized access of the content item by the multiple destination devices. Interactions between members of an SNET group can be managed to leverage links to other SNET groups. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091216 | Social Device Service and Support Via Automatic Group Association - A social networking system offers a variety of device service and support functions via automated social network (SNET) group associations. Such functions can include, for example, device registration and warranty services, update and upgrade services, maintenance and testing services, resource utilization reporting services, cloning services, usage tutorials and user group interactions, targeted advertising, etc. In various embodiments, support services may be offered upon automated docking of a social device with a SNET group, such as a manufacturer's SNET group. Selection of available services may be automated based on device profile data. Alternatively, services may be manually selected through a user interface provided by a member device or support service. In other embodiments, all or portions of a first device may be cloned on a second device, either on a persistent or temporary basis. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091219 | Green Hosting Methodologies - A networking system supports dynamic management of resources (such as media content) hosted by a networking infrastructure based on energy consumption associated with usage of the resources. Resources can be managed to optimize energy usage by the infrastructure, including distributing instances of the resources across various hosting locations to optimize energy usage associated with interaction with the resources by network members. Resources can be managed based at least in part on data associated with network elements, including configuration information and determined capabilities associated with supporting certain usage patterns associated with one or more of network members and resources. Distribution can include transferring and transcoding content based on usage patterns associated with one or more of network members and resources and managing representative views of resources based on a global configuration of a member's account. Usage patterns can be detected, identified, and anticipated based on tracking network usage by network members. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091262 | SOCIAL ACCESS CONTROL - A social networking (SNET) management service supports interactions involving various resources, which can include applications, services, and identities, of members associated with a SNET infrastructure. A SNET management service can be centrally located or distributed across various devices associated with a SNET infrastructure. The SNET management service can support managing a SNET group, in part or in full, by various server devices and devices docked to the SNET group. Supported interactions can include docking resources to a SNET group and extending access by various members associated with various SNET infrastructures to such resources. Various interactions can also include extending access by docked resources, resources associated with docked devices, and the like, to members associated with various SNET infrastructures. Various interactions can be managed based upon inputs, internal logic, and the like provided by various processing systems, devices, and/or members. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091280 | Social Device Resource Management - A method and apparatus for allocating resources in a social network. In one embodiment, access to resources of a social network and participant social devices is managed through general or member class-specific access rights. Such access rights may also be established for authorized guests or non-members of the social network. In further embodiments, social resources may be offered and (re)allocated in a dynamic manner through real time usage and availability analysis. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091540 | SOCIAL DEVICE SECURITY IN A SOCIAL NETWORK - A social network (SNET) is divided into one or more circles employing separate security secrets, e.g. keys, for communication between members. A device can be a member of more than one circle, and store different keys for each of those circles in separate, restricted portions of memory. When a member leaves a circle, new keys can be generated and distributed to the remaining members. Before and after joining a circle, a level of trust associated with the device or human member can be determined based on third party trust verification and a trust history. A requirement for multiple current circle members to vouch for the prospective member can be imposed as a condition of membership. Each circle can be assigned different trust and access levels, and authorization to receive information can be checked before transmitting information between circles. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091551 | Social Processing Member Offering Fixed and Intelligent Services - A social networking system offers a variety of fixed and intelligent services and social device resources participating as members in a social network (SNET) group. Such members may include, for example, social billing and payment services, digital assistants and artificial intelligence functions, robotic control and training services, media content storage and playback services, data backup services, services that support distributed processes such as distributed research projects, networking elements such as network attached storage (NAS), firewalls, proxies, etc. In various embodiments, such services and resources may become available upon being selectively docked or otherwise associated (e.g., through docking of a supporting device) with a SNET group by a human member or third party via a docked user device. Selection of available services may be supported through a visual menu provided by a member device or support service. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091582 | CONTENT SECURITY IN A SOCIAL NETWORK - Members of a social network (SNET) circle can share content with other members of SNET circle, members of the same SNET that are not members of the same circle, or send content to people or devices outside of SNET. Different levels of content security can be applied to the shared content, depending on who requests the content, the destination of the content, user preferences, content type, SNET, SNET circle, or other security parameters. Content can be tagged to limit the number of times it can be accessed, the length of time access is allowed, and to otherwise control redistribution. Content can also be protected by limiting host network access to the content, implementing SNET circle firewalls and virtual private networks, or transcoding content before allowing transmission to non-SNET circle or SNET members. Docking of devices into an SNET security circle can be restricted to properly secured devices. | 04-11-2013 |
20140122342 | Host based content security and protection - Host based content security and protection. Security is achieved via a third-party device serving as an intermediary or host (e.g., certificate authority (CA)) between two or more user device is associated with two or more users. Any number of security measures may be employed to ensure that the content and/or identity associated with a given user is protected, including on a per communication or content basis. Various authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) protocols may be employed to govern the respective sharing of content and/or identity between respective users within the system, and such AAA protocols may be dynamically allocated differently with respect to different pairings of users at different respective times. In addition, with respect to digital rights management (DRM) employed to govern the security of content and/or identity between users, a third-party device (e.g., intermediary) and/or any respective user may establish specific rules for secure content and/or identity communications. | 05-01-2014 |