Sony Corporation

Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

Sony Network Entertainment International LLC

Prisciliano Flores

True Xiong

Charles McCoy

Yuqian Zhao

Justin Gonzales

Systems and methods described provide ways to order channels surfed such that channels of likely greater interest to the user are presented to the user first, and channels of lesser interest are presented after. For examples, channels showing popular programs may be placed higher in a channel surfing lineup. The systems and methods may also take account of channels that are showing commercials during a time of channel surfing, and may skip over the same while surfing and/or may come back to the channel, or re-place or otherwise include the channel in the surfing lineup, at such time as the commercial has ended and regular programming has continued.

Systems and methods for control of channel surfing

Various aspects of a system and a method for accessing information associated with a sample of background audio in a computing device are disclosed herein. The computing device records, at predetermined time intervals, a sample of background audio in a vicinity of the computing device. The computing device transmits the recorded sample of background audio to a server computing device. The recorded sample of background audio and a metadata associated with the recorded sample of background audio is stored at the server computing device. The computing device accesses information associated with the recorded sample of background audio from the server computing device. The information is determined by the server computing device based on the recorded sample of background audio.

System and method for audio identification

Provided are ways in which a camera can be operated by a control device. Such provides a convenient solution whenever, e.g., two friends, each with a cell phone, wish to take a well-composed impromptu group picture. The 'camera' may be any type of camera, which can be coupled to the control or monitoring device. Typical cameras include those associated with mobile devices, such as cell phone cameras, but also dedicated cameras with transceiver functionality. The control device is often a mobile device such as a cell phone, but can also be a dedicated monitoring device. In one implementation, the control device can control the direction of view, the field of view, and shutter operation, and provide to the user an image of the current view seen. In this implementation, the user may control most significant aspects of camera composition, as well as initiating the capture of the image.

Systems and methods for camera operation through control device

Various aspects of a system and a method for providing a controlled power supply are disclosed herein. The method, in a vehicle, comprises controlling a power supply unit coupled to an exterior surface of the vehicle. The power supply unit provides the power supply to an electronic device connected to the power supply unit.

System and method for providing a controlled power supply

Some embodiments provide methods of configuring an automobile, comprising: identifying, through a controller of a first automobile, a first user of potential users, wherein the identifying comprises identifying that the first user is proximate the first automobile; accessing a first plurality of pre-sets that correspond to the first user, wherein each of the first plurality of pre-sets comprises a standardized setting configured to be implemented in multiple different types of automobiles that have different available capabilities, wherein the first plurality of pre-sets are configured to achieve substantially the same environmental conditions in each of the different types of automobiles regardless of differences; and automatically applying all of the first plurality of pre-sets without any user interaction such that each of the first plurality of pre-sets is applied at one time establishing the environment of the first automobile consistent with the first plurality of pre-sets.

Apparatus and method for use in configuring an environment of an automobile

A method carried out on a television receiver device involves at a television receiver/tuner device, carrying out a channel scan to identify available television channels that can be received by the television receiver device; while the channel scan is being carried out: reading a feature highlight video file from a memory; and displaying the feature highlight video file on a television display. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Growing community of inventors

Spring Valley, CA, United States of America

Prisciliano Flores