| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080306818 | MULTI-CLIENT STREAMER WITH LATE BINDING OF AD CONTENT - A late-binding multi-client streamer utilizing Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) transfers to obtain video and advertisement content is provided. For each client device, the streamer receives a video content selection. In response, the streamer initiates an RDMA transfer of the video content or a segment of the video content from a storage device of a video content server to an associated video buffer and begins streaming the video content from the video buffer to the client device. When an upcoming advertisement slot in the video content is detected, the streamer initiates an RDMA transfer of an advertisement for the ad slot from a storage device associated with an advertisement content server to an associated ad buffer. The streamer then inserts the advertisement from the ad buffer into the ad slot in the video content as the video content is streamed to the client device. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20090156160 | LOW-THREAT RESPONSE SERVICE FOR MOBILE DEVICE USERS - A friends-based low-threat response service for subscribers in one or more mobile communications networks is provided. In general, in a low-threat situation, a subscriber initiates a request to the low-threat response service via the subscriber's mobile device. The low-threat response service identifies a friend of the subscriber or a friend-of-a-friend of the subscriber that is geographically proximate to the subscriber as a responder. The low-threat response service then establishes communication between the subscriber and the responder or notifies the subscriber that the responder is coming to provide assistance. The low-threat response service may also effect presentation of information at a mobile device of the responder directing the responder to the subscriber, information at the mobile device of the subscriber directing the subscriber to the responder, or both. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090164600 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PLACE-SHIFTING MEDIA ITEMS - A system and method are provided for place-shifting media items. In general, a media zone broker operates to enable place-shifting of media items shared with the media zone by associated users among user devices of the associated users in such a manner that each media item is played by at most a number (N) of the user devices at any one time. The number (N) is a function of collective rights to the media item of one or more of the users sharing the media item in the media zone. In one embodiment, the number (N) is the number of users sharing the media item in the media zone or a function of the number of users sharing the media item in the media zone. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090265737 | PUBLISHING KEY FRAMES OF A VIDEO CONTENT ITEM BEING VIEWED BY A FIRST USER TO ONE OR MORE SECOND USERS - Systems and methods for obtaining key frames of video content items being viewed by first users and publishing the key frames of the video content items to second users are provided. In general, either prior to playback of a video content item by a first user or during playback of the video content item by the first user, key frame information providing, referencing, or identifying key frames of the video content item is obtained. Each key frame is representative of a segment of the video content item. The key frame information for the video content item is then published such that each key frame is presented to one or more second users while the first user views the corresponding segment of the video content item. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090288131 | PROVIDING ADVANCE CONTENT ALERTS TO A MOBILE DEVICE DURING PLAYBACK OF A MEDIA ITEM - Systems and methods are disclosed for providing advance content alerts during playback of a media item. In one embodiment, the advance content alerts are provided to a mobile device, such as a mobile telephone, of an associated user. More specifically, a user registers his or her mobile device with a media player and configures the types of content for which the user would like to receive advance content alerts. Thereafter, during playback of a media item, the media player identifies upcoming content for which the user desires an advance content alert. In response, the media player generates an advance content alert and sends the advance content alert to the mobile device of the user via, for example, a local wireless communication link. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090292819 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADAPTIVE SEGMENT PREFETCHING OF STREAMING MEDIA - Systems and methods are provided for obtaining look-ahead segments for a streaming media item during playback such that the viewer can easily skip to the look-ahead segments without experiencing any substantial interruption or delay in playback. In general, a streaming media source begins streaming a media item to a streaming media client for playback. In one embodiment, the streaming media client selects one or more segments of the media item as one or more look-ahead segments to prefetch from the streaming media source. Then, while the media item is being streamed to the streaming media client for playback, the streaming media client prefetches the one or more look-ahead segments of the media item from the streaming media source. The look-ahead segments are thereafter utilized to enable the viewer to skip ahead in playback without experiencing a substantial interruption or delay in playback. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20090307361 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTENT RIGHTS BASED ON EXISTENCE OF A VOICE SESSION - Systems and methods are provided for granting digital content access rights to shared content based on the existence of a voice session, such as a mobile telecommunications voice call, between users. In general, in the preferred embodiment, a voice session is established between a first user and a second user via associated devices. Either automatically upon establishment of the voice session or upon request by the first user, access rights to content shared by the first user are granted to the second user. The content shared by the first user may be content hosted by the device of the first user, another device associated with the first user, a third-party service, or the like. The access rights granted to the second user allow access to the content shared by the first user while the voice session between the first and second users is active. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20100014825 | USE OF A SECONDARY DEVICE TO OVERLAY DISASSOCIATED MEDIA ELEMENTS ONTO VIDEO CONTENT - A system and method are provided for utilizing a secondary device to overlay disassociated media elements onto video content presented to a user via a primary device. In general, an overlay control function of a secondary device provides an overlay input to a primary device playing video content. The overlay input includes one or more media elements forming the overlay as well as information defining a desired position of the overlay. In response, an overlay rights enforcement function of the primary device obtains overlay access rights and determines whether the overlay is permitted based on overlay access rights. If the overlay is permitted, the overlay formed by the one or more media elements provided in the overlay input received from the secondary device is overlaid on top of the video content being played by the primary device. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100015975 | PROFILE SERVICE FOR SHARING RIGHTS-ENABLED MOBILE PROFILES - A system and method are provided for sharing rights-enabled user profiles among users in voice communication system, such as a mobile telecommunications system. In general, each user defines a user profile and associated access rights, where the user profile and access rights are stored by or accessible to a profile service. When a voice session, or call, is initiated between a first and second user, a device of the first user requests a profile of the second user from the profile service. In response, the profile service determines whether the first user has been granted access rights to the user profile of the second user. If so, the profile service provides the user profile of the second user, or a portion thereof, to the device of the first user according to the access rights of the first user, and the user profile is presented to the first user. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100015976 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SHARING RIGHTS-ENABLED MOBILE PROFILES - A system and method are provided for sharing rights-enabled user profiles among users in voice communication system, such as a mobile telecommunications system. In general, each user defines a user profile and associated access rights, where the user profile and access rights are stored by or accessible to a profile service. When a voice session, or call, is initiated between a first and second user, a device of the first user requests a profile of the second user from the profile service. In response, the profile service determines whether the first user has been granted access rights to the user profile of the second user. If so, the profile service provides the user profile of the second user, or a portion thereof, to the device of the first user according to the access rights of the first user, and the user profile is presented to the first user. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100017474 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PLAYBACK POSITIONING OF DISTRIBUTED MEDIA CO-VIEWERS - Systems and methods are disclosed for obtaining and presenting information to a user playing a media item identifying playback positions of a number of other users also playing the media item. In one embodiment, a first user begins playback of a media item. Information identifying playback positions of a number of second users also playing the media item is obtained from a playback information broker and presented to the first user. The first user may then provide user input identifying a desired action to take with respect to one or more of the second users. In response, the desired action is effected. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100082488 | PROVIDING A RADIO STATION AT A USER DEVICE USING PREVIOUSLY OBTAINED DRM LOCKED CONTENT - A system and method are disclosed for providing a radio station for playback at a user device using previously obtained Digital Rights Management (DRM) locked content for the radio station. In one embodiment, a radio station application and DRM locked content to be used by the radio station application are downloaded to a user device, which is preferably a mobile user device. The DRM locked content includes a number of DRM locked songs that may be used for the radio station. Thereafter, the radio station application obtains a playlist for the radio station, where the playlist for the radio station includes at least a subset of the DRM locked content provided to the user device for the radio station. Playback of the playlist for the radio station is then provided at the user device, and playback is reported to a remote service for royalty tracking. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100124892 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERNET RADIO STATION PROGRAM DISCOVERY - An Internet radio station program discovery service is provided. In general, the discovery service subscribes to or downloads a number of Internet radio station programs. For each radio station program, the discovery service analyzes audio content of the radio station program to dynamically categorize the radio station program over time. The discovery service also enables users to discover radio station programs of interest based on the dynamic categorizations of the radio station programs. The users may be enabled to search for radio station programs of interest based on the dynamic categorizations of the radio station programs, navigate or browse the radio station programs based on the dynamic categorizations of the radio station programs, or the like. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100146091 | Method of providing proximity-based quality for multimedia content - A system and method for providing proximity-based quality for multimedia content, including: transmitting multimedia content, and intentionally controlling a quality level of a presentation of the multimedia content based on proximity of a user to a particular location. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100169465 | SERVING CONTENT FROM AN OFF-LINE PEER SERVER IN A PHOTOSHARING PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK IN RESPONSE TO A GUEST REQUEST - A method and system for serving content from a peer server in a photosharing peer-to-peer network is disclosed, wherein the peer server stores a web album and at least one associated digital image. Aspects of the invention include prior to the peer server going off-line, the peer server initiates a synchronization with a proxy server and a guest content server in which the web page a web page descriptor defining the web album is copied from the peer server to the guest content server, and the image associated with the web album is copied from the peer server to the proxy server. In response to a request from a requesting computer to view content stored in the peer computer when the peer server is off-line, the request is fulfilled by forwarding the web page from the guest content server to the requesting computer, and forwarding the image associated with a web page from the proxy server to the requesting computer, thereby successfully serving content from the peer server even when the peer server is off-line. | 07-01-2010 |
| 20100195975 | System and method for semantic trick play - A semantic based trick play method and system in a media player is provided in which a semantic trick play command is received from a user while the user is experiencing a current content of a media item. Metadata is detected with respect to a current playback position of the media item, and at least one further playback position is determined in the current content of the media item or a related content in another media item. The further playback position is semantically related to the metadata of the current playback position. Playback is then moved to the at least one further playback position, so that the user experiences a media content of the at least one further playback position. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100197219 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED LOCATION-BASED WIDGETS - Systems and methods relating to location-based applications, such as widgets, are disclosed. In general, in one embodiment, a mobile device obtains a list of applications associated with a current or anticipated location of the mobile device from a centralized or distributed application service. One or more desired applications to be activated are either manually or automatically selected from the list of applications associated with the current location or the anticipated location of the mobile device. The mobile device then activates the one or more desired applications. Optionally, for each desired application that has been activated, the desired application may be deactivated once one or more deactivation criteria are satisfied. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100280835 | DYNAMIC RADIO CLIENT - This disclosure relates to enabling a potential participant to define preferences for a talk radio program. In one embodiment, via a radio client, a potential participant defines preferences for a talk radio program wherein the preferences include at least a topic of interest and a semantic relevance. In one embodiment, the participant preferences also include a time availability indicating when the potential participant is available to participate in the talk radio program. The radio client sends the preferences to a talk radio program service. When a talk radio program satisfying the preferences of the potential participant is scheduled or otherwise available, the talk radio program service notifies the potential participant. A topic of the talk radio program is semantically related to the topic of interest of the potential participant to at least a degree defined by the semantic relevance. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100297934 | PERSONAL AREA NETWORK HAVING MEDIA PLAYER AND MOBILE DEVICE CONTROLLING THE SAME - A system and method are provided for controlling content played by a number of media devices. In general, the system includes a mobile device and the number of media devices. The mobile device includes a wireless communication interface for communicating with the media devices, a media database, and a control system including a media client. When the mobile device enters a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) associated with a media device, the media client obtains information describing the content residing at the media device and stores the information in the media database at the mobile device. Thereafter, when the mobile device is within the WPAN associated with the media device, the media database is used to select content to be played at the media device. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100332298 | SYNCHRONIZING MULTIPLE PLAYBACK DEVICE TIMING UTILIZING DRM ENCODING - A system and method are provided for synchronizing playback of media content on multiple playback devices utilizing Digital Rights Management (DRM) encoding. In general, multiple playback devices or users of those playback devices are associated to form a virtual group. A virtual group (VG) control function operates to synchronize advertisement (ad) slots within media content provided to the playback devices in the virtual group utilizing DRM encoding. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110034147 | ROUTING MOBILE USERS TO SECURE LOCATIONS BASED ON TRANSACTION TYPE - Systems and methods are disclosed for routing mobile users to safe, or secure, locations. In one embodiment, based on threat information obtained from one or more source, a threat level is determined for a location of a user of a mobile device. The threat level is indicative of physical safety and/or network safety at the location of the user of the mobile device. The threat level may be a function of a transaction type of a transaction being performed or desired to be performed by the user of the mobile device. If the location is unsafe, a safe location is identified, and the user of the mobile device is routed to the safe location. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110034182 | GEOGRAPHIC MESSAGING USING LOCATION-IDENTIFIED ACCESS POINTS - Systems and methods are provided for geographic messaging using a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network of location-identified access points, such as femtocells. In one embodiment, a femtocell receives a message from an associated mobile device. The message is then routed from the femtocell to one or more other femtocells located within an area of interest of the message via the P2P network. The femtocells located in the area of interest of the message then deliver the message to mobile devices located within coverage areas of the femtocells. In addition, rights management may be performed to control introduction of messages at the femtocells, propagation of messages through the femtocells, and/or delivery of messages by the femtocells. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110045807 | ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT CALLBACK TRIGGERS - Systems and methods relating to callback triggers for mobile or electronic documents are provided. In general, a callback trigger defines a triggering event and a callback action to be performed in response to an occurrence of the triggering event during consumption of the electronic document by an end user. As such, when the triggering event defined by a callback trigger is detected during consumption of the electronic document by an end user, a corresponding callback action is performed. In one embodiment, one or more callback triggers for the electronic document include at least one customized callback trigger. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110045808 | DYNAMIC CALLBACK TRIGGERS FOR AN ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT - Systems and methods relating to callback triggers for mobile or electronic documents are provided. In general, a callback trigger defines a triggering event and a callback action to be performed in response to an occurrence of the triggering event during consumption of the electronic document by an end user. As such, when the triggering event defined by a callback trigger is detected during consumption of the electronic document by an end user, a corresponding callback action is performed. In one embodiment, the one or more callback triggers for the electronic document include at least one dynamic callback trigger that is updated over time. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110045810 | SEMANTIC CALLBACK TRIGGERS FOR AN ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT - Systems and methods relating to callback triggers for mobile or electronic documents are provided. In general, a callback trigger defines a triggering event and a callback action to be performed in response to an occurrence of the triggering event during consumption of the electronic document by an end user. As such, when the triggering event defined by a callback trigger is detected during consumption of the electronic document by an end user, a corresponding callback action is performed. In one embodiment, the one or more callback triggers for the electronic document include at least one semantic callback trigger. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110047122 | ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT CALLBACK TRIGGER CREATION - Systems and methods relating to callback triggers for mobile or electronic documents are provided. In general, a callback trigger defines a triggering event and a callback action to be performed in response to an occurrence of the triggering event during consumption of the electronic document by an end user. As such, when the triggering event defined by a callback trigger is detected during consumption of the electronic document by an end user, a corresponding callback action is performed. In some embodiments, the callback triggers for the electronic document are created at a user device of a user other than the end user or a central system via a manual or automatic process. In another embodiment, one or more callback triggers for the electronic document are created at a user device of an end user via an automatic process. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110047237 | PROXIMITY BASED MATCHMAKING USING COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES - The present disclosure relates to a matchmaking system that can receive a matchmaking request from a first user who wishes to establish communications with a second user. The matchmaking request includes recognition information about the second user that is leveraged upon proximity of the first user to the second user. The matchmaking system attempts to identify the second user based on the recognition information. If the identification of the second user is successful, the matchmaking system sends data to the second user's communications device to establish communications. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the recognition information includes biometric data of the second user. In an alternate embodiment of the present disclosure, the recognition information includes location information pertaining to a current location of the second user. In an additional embodiment of the present disclosure, the recognition information includes device information associated with the second user's communications device. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110081867 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING COMMUNICATIONS DURING AN E-READER SESSION - A gatekeeper function is employed to control communications intended for a target user, who is associated with an electronic reader (e-reader) device. The gatekeeper function detects an attempt for an originating user to communicate with the target user. Upon detecting the attempt to communicate with the target user, the gatekeeper function determines a communication processing action that controls how to handle the communication attempt based on e-reader session information that is collected while the target user is engaged in an e-reader session. The gatekeeper function will then effect the communication processing action to control how the communication attempt is to be handled. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110106874 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDIRECTING CLIENT-SIDE STORAGE OPERATIONS - A method and apparatus for redirecting client-side storage operations to one or more remote storage devices. An HTTP message generated by a web server includes one or more client-side storage operations. Based on defined criteria, the client-side storage operations are replaced with remote storage instructions to generate a modified HTTP message. The modified HTTP message is sent towards the client device. A user agent on the client device receives the HTTP message and executes the remote storage instructions. The storage operations are implemented on the remote storage devices rather than on the client. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110107206 | E-READER SEMANTIC TEXT MANIPULATION - A computerized system and method for changing the textual length of an electronic text content while maintaining the meaning of the electronic text content is disclosed. The system includes an electronic reader, or e-reader, device having an electronic touch screen for displaying an electronic text content and for receiving a user touch gesture for identifying a portion of the electronic text content targeted for a textual length change, and a semantic server programmed to receive requests for a semantic text alternative for a targeted electronic text content identified by way of the e-reader device and to determine a semantic alternative electronic text content for the targeted electronic text content, wherein the determined semantic alternative electronic text has a different textual length than the targeted electronic text content, and for replacing the targeted electronic text content displayed by the e-reader device with the determined semantic alternative electronic text content. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110119361 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING REDACTED ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS USING CALLBACK TRIGGERS - Systems and methods for managing redacted electronic documents using callback triggers are provided. In one embodiment, a user device obtains a redacted version of an electronic document, which is referred to herein as a redacted electronic document, and a callback trigger associated with a redacted portion of the redacted electronic document. While a user at the user device is consuming, or reading, the electronic document, a triggering event for the callback trigger is detected. In response to detecting the triggering event, a callback action defined by the callback trigger is performed in order for the user to gain access to the redacted portion of the redacted electronic document. Once the user of the user device has acquired rights to access the redacted portion of the redacted electronic document, the user is enabled to access the redacted portion of the redacted electronic document. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110125989 | COLLABORATIVE CONFIGURATION OF A MEDIA ENVIRONMENT - A system and method for collaboratively providing configurations for a media environment are provided. In general, configuration events from a number of media environments are collected and provided to a Collaborative Configuration System (CCS) server. Based on the configuration events, the CCS server generates and provides recommended configurations to a media environment. The recommended configurations may be generated prior to or after receiving a request for recommended configurations from the media environment. In one embodiment, the recommended configurations are provided as a recommended configuration profile providing a set of configurations to be applied at the media environment. In another embodiment, the recommended configurations are provided as a CCS track associated with a particular media presentation. The CCS track includes configuration changes to be applied to the media environment for a number of time slices of the media presentation during playback of the media presentation. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110145723 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDIRECTING CLIENT-SIDE STORAGE OPERATIONS - A method and system for redirecting client-side storage operations to a remote storage device. A user agent module executing on a client device receives a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) message that includes a client-side storage operation directed to a client storage device. The user agent module detects the client-side storage operation and accesses defined criteria to identify one or more remote storage devices on which to implement the remote storage device in lieu of the client storage device. The user agent module then implements the client-side storage operation on the remote storage device. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110150198 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MERGING VOICE CALLS BASED ON TOPICS - A system and method for merging a first voice call and a second voice call. A first topic discussed during the first voice call is compared to a second topic discussed during the second voice call. If the first topic matches the second topic, the first voice call may be merged with the second voice call. A semantic analysis may be performed on the first topic and the second topic to determine if the first topic and the second topic match one another. Filter criteria may be defined by participants of the first voice call and the second voice call that identify criteria that may preclude merger of the first voice call and the second voice call. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110159856 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF LOCATION BASED TELECOMMUNICATION AUTHORIZATION - An apparatus and method directed to automated call screening, and specifically the utilization of location history of a call recipient to determine call authorization, are provided. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a computer readable medium embodied in an article of manufacture is encoded with instructions for directing a processor to receive a request from a first device to communicate with a second device. The processor is further directed to determine at least one location associated with the first device, determine an authorization for the request based at least in part upon the at least one location associated with the first device and at least one prior location of the second device, and transmit the request to the second device in accordance with the authorization. | 06-30-2011 |
