Motorola Mobility LLC

Arris Enterprises LLC

Google Inc.

Motorola Corporation

Crysta J Metcalf

Ashley B Novak

Gunnar F Harboe

Santosh S Basapur

Frank R Bentley

Hiren M Mandalia

Faisal Ishtiaq

Narayanan Venkitaraman

Vivek V Thakkar

Anthony J Braskich

Loren J Rittle

Paul C Davis

Bhavan Gandhi

Mir Farooq Ali

Shirley A Chaysinh

Dale William Russell

Guy George Romano

James R Talley

Isaac G Kulka

Mir F Ali

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for augmenting a user's multimedia consumption experience. The methods comprise while the user is consuming the multimedia presentation using a first device, that device provides (to one or more remote processors) information that may be used to identify a relevant location. The one or more processors use this information to identify the location and acquire a virtual environment. This virtual environment may be a virtual representation the location. The virtual environment is presented to the user on a second (companion) device. Using the second device, the user may explore the virtual environment and interact with virtual objects therein.

Augmentation of multimedia consumption

While a user views a primary content item (for example, a movie on a television screen), secondary content items are selected and presented to the user, either on the same screen or on a screen of the user's companion device. To choose selections that are relevant to the user's current interests, the selection process considers information beyond the realm of primary and secondary content. Over time, the selection process learns to make more relevant selections by monitoring selection choices made by other systems.

Providing secondary content to accompany a primary content item

A server [] or client-based content storage unit includes a communication device [] to receive data corresponding to a transfer of at least one of media content and a link to the media content, from a first user [] to a second user []. The communication device [] also receives data corresponding to usage of the media content by the second user [], and transmits some representation of a content capital to the first user []. A content usage aggregator [] receives information corresponding to the usage of the media content by the second user []. A content usage evaluator [] determines the content capital based on an aggregation of monitored use of the media content by the second user [

Method and apparatus for acquiring content-based capital via a sharing technology

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for providing information to a first client device (e.g., a tablet computer) for presentation on that device. The information may be related to multimedia content (e.g., a television program) that may be presented using a second client device (e.g., a television). Firstly, an activity level for a portion of the multimedia content is determined. Using the activity level, an amount of the information is assigned to that portion of the multimedia content. The amount of the information assigned is dependent on that determined activity level. The assigned information is then provided for use by (e.g., for display on) the first client device.

Information provision

A multimedia device and a method embodied in the multimedia device for providing access to media content from a plurality of media content are provided. The multimedia device includes a user interface (UI) with one or more UI controls, a processor, and an output device. The UI controls receive a first set of parameter values from the user, in order to select media content. The processor creates a first list of media content based on a first probabilistic distribution over the plurality of media content. The output device provides access to the media content of the first list of media content to the user. Further, the UI may receive a second set of parameter values, and a second list of media content is then created, based on a second probabilistic distribution. The output device provides access to the media content of the second list of media content to the user.

Multimedia device for providing access to media content

Graphical user interface for a display screen

A play tree may be generated for selecting and playing media content. A list of media files may be generated and displayed to the user. The user's selection from the list may be received and played to the user. The user's selection may be stored in a media content database and a tree of media files may be generated based on the user's previous selections. The tree may be displayed to the user. If the user makes a selection, the user's selection from the tree is received and played to the user.

Method and system for generating a play tree for selecting and playing media content

Growing community of inventors

Cary, IL, United States of America

Crysta J Metcalf