Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130227021 | Media processing system communicating activity information to support user interaction during media broadcasts - A system and method for communicating activity information to support user interaction during media broadcasts in a media exchange network. In one aspect, a first user may associate a second user with particular media characteristics. The second user may be notified when the first user consumes media having pre-defined characteristics matching those associated with the second user. The second user may keep records of the consumption of media with particular media characteristics, and may provide services or incentives to the first user. A system may comprise a first and a second set top box, each having storage with an associated network address. A user of the second set top box may have at least one associated media characteristic, and the second user may be sent a notification when the first user requests media with pre-defined characteristics matching the media characteristic associated with the second user. | 08-29-2013 |
20130232033 | BILLING SUPPORT IN A MEDIA EXCHANGE NETWORK - A system providing billing support for the exchange of media is disclosed. An embodiment of the present invention may provide for the authorization of and billing for the delivery of media from a media server to local storage for consumption on a television display. The media may be audio, still pictures, video, or data. Other embodiments may provide for the authorization of and billing for the transfer of media from a media peripheral to a media server for media backup or distribution. A media peripheral may be, for example, a digital camera, digital camcorder, personal computer (PC), personal digital assistant (PDA), multi-media gateway, and MP3 player. An embodiment may support pre-payment, payment at time of use, and post-use billing for the media exchange. In an embodiment of the present invention, the storing or accessing of media may be performed without identifying the user to the media server. | 09-05-2013 |
20140297669 | Attract mode operations associated with virtual tagging - A method and system for drawing roaming users to a particular virtually tagged location based on associated geolocation virtual tags. Notifications are provided to the user of a mobile communications device at a first location to attract the user to a second location having associated virtual tags. For example, a series of virtual tags trigger at different distance intervals from the virtually tagged posting location to provide the user with periodic directions (i.e., arrows, audible “turn left here”, “only 100 m away”, etc.) drawing the roaming user to the virtually tagged location. Various modes of operation provide the roaming user with customizability based on individual characteristics, behaviors and preferences. | 10-02-2014 |
20140324815 | SEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE REPRESENTING HOSTING CLIENT DEVICES - A system and method for supporting searching of client device hosted content. A search infrastructure supports creation, managing and searching of client device hosted content. A client device, which hosts content, communicates its client device identification (ID), type and access restrictions to the search infrastructure. In addition, the client device communicates a global network route to the client device content as a pointer for the search engine to provide a search requestor access to both the client device and specified content. Client device information is also provided to a client device registry accessible by the search infrastructure, for example a registry maintained in a cloud based service. Client devices can enter into client device services agreement with a third party storage system for the purposes of providing a higher probability that their client device hosted content will be available. | 10-30-2014 |
20140324816 | EXTENDED WEB SEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORTING HOSTING CLIENT DEVICE STATUS - A system and method is provided for internet searching infrastructures and more particularly to hosted client device status supporting the delivery of search results hosted by a client device. A registry table retains client device status information so that when a search result includes specific device hosted content, that client device's status will be known. Client device status includes sleep, offline, predicted period of availability, do-not-disturb (DnD), power availability, or busy along with other status indications. | 10-30-2014 |
20140324817 | PREPROCESSING OF CLIENT CONTENT IN SEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE - A system and method is provided to distribute preprocessing of client device content. The client device performs preprocessing or alternatively transfers search accessible content to remote systems for preprocessing such as search system infrastructure, set-top boxes, other client devices, etc. Client device content is preprocessed so as to provide, for example, a preview of images available by providing thumbnails of the images, small excerpts of text or a video preview. Offloading of client device content preprocessing duties reduces web server operational requirements and subsequent power needs. Additionally, preprocessing of searchable content can be distributed across multiple content hosts and search infrastructure elements. | 10-30-2014 |
20140344266 | DEVICE INFORMATION USED TO TAILOR SEARCH RESULTS - Biasing of search results based on device profile and activity data. In various embodiments, biasing operations are performed on search results generated in response to a search query received from a client device. The biasing operations are based on device profile data associated with the client device. Such data may indicate media consumption capabilities of the device or other device hardware and software configuration details. In some embodiments, device activity/sensor data may likewise be employed to bias search results. Biasing operations may include, for example, ranking, prioritizing, or filtering search results to favor results that may be consumed by a client device. Translated and/or targeted and supplemental information may also be provided based on device profile data or user profile data. In certain embodiments, searching and biasing operations may be performed by an intermediary or proxy device. | 11-20-2014 |
20140358881 | Search Infrastructure Supporting Identification, Setup and Maintenance of Machine to Machine Interactions - A technique in which autonomous machine-to-machine interactions are identified, setup and maintained between machines by utilizing a registry that may be searched to identify a registered machine. The search may be for a particular target machine or for content. By identifying a target machine, the registry may provide an address to connect two machines for the two machines to interact, such as the download of content stored on one of the machines. | 12-04-2014 |
20140365476 | VIRTUAL TAG, CLIENT HOSTED AND CLIENT SOURCED CONTENT/SERVICES RATING AND RANKING SUPPORT - A technique in which a tag associated with a target object is sent to a user device to provide information regarding the target object. The tag includes a rating indicator for a recipient of the tag to respond to the rating indicator, in which the rating indicator is used to request a rating of one or more characteristics related to the target object. The rating response is collected with verification information to determine a level of verification of the rating response, in which the verification may include reliability of the rater providing the rating response. The response and level of verification are used to rank the rating response and provide further filtering of the tag related to the target object. | 12-11-2014 |