Sony Corporation

Sony Electronics Inc

Other

Richter A Rafey

Klaus Hofrichter

Sidney Wang

Simon J Gibbs

Hubert Andre Le Van Gong

Ravi Gauba

Peter G Broadwell

Annie Wang

Clement Lau

Rob Myers

Harold Aaron Ludtke

Linghan Cai

Jacqueline L Neider

Jenny Dana Wirtschafter

Simon John De Lancey Gibbs

William Abdo Rouady, Jr

A service module for a dedicated on-site media service. The service module enables a dedicated media service for a broadcast signal. The electronic media module includes a tuner, a media storage device, and an adapter. The tuner, which is coupled to the media storage device, or portion thereof, is tuned to receive a broadcast signal. The media storage device stores this broadcast signal. The adapter is coupled to the media storage device and to the tuner. The adapter further interfaces the tuner and the media storage device of the electronic media module with an electronic media system. A content provider has remote control over the stored content. The content provider also has remote control over on-site presentation of the stored media to the viewer. Multiple dedicated service modules installed on-site allow these functions to be applied across multiple content-providers simultaneously.

Secure module and a method for providing a dedicated on-site media service

A system and method for enabling distribution and brokering of content information are described. A request to download data is transmitted to a server. Information on multiple content providers storing data obtained from the server is received. Finally, identification information for one content provider, which allowed the download of data, is transmitted to the server along with payment for the download of data.

System and method for enabling distribution and brokering of content information

A system for media content selection. In one embodiment, a home entertainment system for accessing content includes a processor for executing instructions adapted for: (i) receiving a request from a user input for selecting a content title; (ii) displaying formats of the content title, with one format stored in a home network and another stored external to the home network; (iii) receiving a request from the user input device to select one of the formats; and (iv) presenting the selected content in the selected format. The content can be a song in a digital format, for example. Selecting the content can include consideration of user preference information and using one or more of: a content manager, a device manager, a network controller, a purchase controller, a device supporter, a content directory, a connection manager, and a digital rights management (DRM) controller. The user input device can include, for example, a remote control device for a home entertainment system.

Method and apparatus for content selection in a home media environment

A method for real-time bookmarking of streaming media assets is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes dynamically changing a presentation segment of a plurality of segments based one or more bookmark signals from a viewer.

Real-time bookmarking of streaming media assets

A multi-media broadcasting system that links a user profiles associated with a first user with a second user profile associated with a second user, where the first and second user profiles each comprise an indication of an interest common to the first and second users. The user profiles allow a user to customize a viewing experience via the broadcasting system. In addition, the system detects a content update to the first user profile, wherein the content update is associated with a content item that comprises content having a characteristic within the interest common to the first and second users. Furthermore, the system notifies the second user of the content update if the second user profile has not been updated with the content update.

System and method for common interest analysis among multiple users

Automated context-sensitive updating of content in an audiovisual (AV) storage system is disclosed. A media storage device for storing a multimedia signal includes a storage medium, such as a dedicated hard drive, a processor, and memory. The storage medium is coupled to the processor and the memory. The memory contains instructions that, when implemented, enable a method of off-site management of data stored on the storage medium. The method includes a step of receiving a media signal with content data and context data at the media storage device. The method also includes a step of receiving storage management instructions from a storage management provider, remotely located from the media storage device. Lastly, the media signal is stored on the media storage device in accordance with the storage management instructions.

Automated context-sensitive updating on content in an audiovisual storage system

A system for and method of enabling people to share a common application context for media presentation and playback is described herein. The presentation results from input from a set of active participants where the input includes a set of media types such as music, artwork, visualizations, photographs and text messages. The participants use personal devices to couple to the system and utilize the application.

Shared home media platform to support multi-user control

A broadcast of an event is enhanced with synthetic scenes generated from audio visual and supplemental data received in the broadcast. A synthetic scene is integrated into the broadcast in accordance with a depth map that contains depth information for the synthetic scene. The supplemental data may be sensing data from various sensors placed at the event, position and orientation data of particular objects at the event, or environmental data on conditions at the event. The supplemental data may also be camera tracking data from a camera that is used to generate a virtual camera and viewpoints for the synthetic scene. The present invention describes systems, clients, servers, methods, and computer-readable media of varying scope. In addition to the aspects of the present invention described in this summary, further aspects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by reading the detailed description that follows.

Enhancing broadcast of an event with synthetic scene using a depth map

A method of extracting a depth map from known camera and tracking data. The method includes the steps of positioning a virtual camera at the coordinates of the tracked camera, setting the field of view to that of the tracked camera, positioning and orienting a synthetic tracked object to the coordinates of the tracked object, clearing the depth buffer and rendering the tracked object as a depth map.

Extracting a depth map from known camera and model tracking data

A system and method for authoring and testing three-dimensional (3-D) content based on broadcast triggers using a standard VRML authoring tool. In one embodiment, a computer implemented method for authoring and testing three-dimensional (3-D) content based on broadcast triggers using a standard authoring tool of a 3-D graphics platform is provided. In this embodiment, the method comprises the step of defining a timelist comprising video triggers, wherein each of the video triggers represents a time at which an event is to occur within a 3-D graphics scene generated using the 3-D graphics platform, and wherein the timelist is stored in a data file that is an input format supported by the 3-D graphics platform. The method also comprises the step of periodically generating a simulation tick representing a simulated video frame from a simulated media stream. The method further comprises the step of generating time data for the simulation tick, wherein the time data is associated with the simulated video frame. The method also comprises the step of comparing the video triggers and the time data. The method further comprises the step of effectuating a behavior change for an object in the 3-D graphics scene in response to a match between one of the video triggers and the time data such that the behavior change is synchronized with the simulated video frame in real-time. In one embodiment, the present invention includes the above steps and wherein the 3-D graphics platform comprises a VRML platform and the data file comprises a VRML scene description file.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Richter A Rafey