Cisco Technology, Inc.

Nds Corporation

Simon John Parnall

James Geoffrey Walker

Colin John Davies

Trevor Smith

Alex Ashley

Ray Taylor

Kevin A Murray

Pete Rai

Laurent Chauvier

Laurent Bertrand

James Nord

Ian Bastable

David John White

Nicholas Thexton

Stuart P Ashby

Olivier Paris

Yun Yaw Chu

Peter Gibbs

Noureddine Taibi

Miles Davis

In some implementations a method includes receiving a first request for a first ultrasonic audio signature from a first computing device. The method also includes transmitting first data indicative of the first ultrasonic audio signature to the first computing device. The method further includes receiving audio data from a second computing device. The method further includes determining that the audio data is indicative of the first ultrasonic audio signature. The method further includes transmitting, to one or more of the first computing device or the second computing device, a message indicating that the first computing device is in proximity to the second computing device.

Determining proximity of computing devices using ultrasonic audio signatures

A method and apparatus for dynamically constructing a broadcast multiplex are described. The method includes: receiving metadata associated with a first plurality of events on a plurality of source channels, the metadata including, at least, scheduling metadata; determining, on the basis of a rule-set applied to the metadata, whether events of the first plurality of events are to be included in the multiplex, thereby producing a second plurality of events to be included in the multiplex; for each one event of the second plurality of events, assigning a multiplex priority to the one event, the multiplex priority being a priority the one event is to be assigned in the multiplex in case the one event contends for space in the multiplex with a second event of the second plurality of events; copying events from the second plurality of events into the multiplex in dependence on the multiplex priorities of events in the second plurality of events; and broadcasting the multiplex. Related systems, apparatus, and methods are also described.

Dynamically constructing a broadcast multiplex

A method of providing information about video content to a client is disclosed. The method includes: receiving a request from a client requesting information about video content, the request including an internet protocol address of the client; establishing (a) a geographic location of the client from the internet protocol address; and (b) a time of the request; identifying one or more content providers available in the geographic location; in dependence on the one or more content providers and the time, retrieving information about the video content from a database; and providing the information to the client. Related apparatus and methods are also disclosed.

Providing information about video content

Delivering an audio video asset in a way that makes best use of different delivery mechanisms available.

Delivering an audio video asset

The present invention relates to an apparatus, method for adjusting depth characteristics of a three-dimensional image for correcting for errors in perceived depth when scaling the three-dimensional image, the method comprising: receiving three-dimensional image information comprising a stereoscopic image including a first image and a second image, the stereoscopic image having depth characteristics associated with an offset of the first and second images; determining a scaling factor indicative of a scaling for converting the stereoscopic image from an original target size to a new size; determining at least one shifting factor for varying the depth characteristics, the at least one shifting factor indicative of a relative shift to be applied between the first and the second images, wherein the at least one shifting factor is determined in accordance with the scaling factor and at least one depth parameter derived from the depth characteristics; and performing the relative shift between the first and second images in accordance with the shifting factor for adjusting the offset of the first and second images.

Image scaling

A method of presenting content to a viewer is described. The method includes: receiving a schedule of content at a client operable by the viewer, the schedule of content including a directed graph, the directed graph including a plurality of nodes, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes is connected to one or more other nodes in the plurality of nodes by one or more paths, wherein each path represents content presentable to the viewer; traversing the directed graph by following a route between nodes and along paths of the directed graph, wherein at each node the client determines a path to follow according to state information accessible by the client; and presenting content to the viewer as each path is followed.

Presenting content

A method of controlling revelation of one or more metadata items is disclosed. Each of the one or more metadata items is associated with one or more parts of an audio-visual data stream (). The method comprises: for a given one or more parts () of the audio-visual data stream (), revealing one or more metadata items () associated with the given one or more parts () of the audio-visual data stream () only after the given one or more parts () of the audio-visual data stream () have been accessed.

Controlled metadata revelation

A method of delivering an audio video asset is described. The method includes: receiving an order specifying an audio video asset to be delivered and a delivery destination for the audio video asset, wherein a delivery destination represents one or more physical delivery recipients; determining delivery paths representing different delivery technologies that could be used to deliver the audio video asset to the delivery destination; retrieving a set of path capacity timelines for the delivery paths, wherein path capacity timelines in the set of path capacity timelines each model a quantity of available capacity varying over time; processing the path capacity timelines to yield delivery path capacities; applying an allocation algorithm to the delivery path capacities to yield candidate delivery allocations, wherein candidate delivery allocations each includes one or more time periods during which one or more time periods a defined quantity of capacity can be allocated for delivery of the audio video asset; applying a cost function to the candidate delivery allocations to yield cost values, wherein the cost values each represent a cost of delivering the audio video asset according to the candidate delivery allocations; calculating scores for the candidate delivery allocations in dependence on a cost value for that candidate delivery allocation and one or more other objectives; selecting a candidate delivery allocation having a lowest score to yield a selected candidate delivery allocation; and delivering the audio video asset according to the selected candidate delivery allocation. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Growing community of inventors

Kingswood, United Kingdom

Simon John Parnall