Sony Corporation

Sony Electronics Inc

Other

Takaaki Ota

Thomas Patrick Dawson

Robert Allan Unger

Christopher Jensen Read

Kenichi Kawasaki

Priyan Gunatilake

David Alan Desch

David Boyden

David H Bessel

Paul Georgief

Kevin Jones

Brant L Candelore

Peter Rae Shintani

Robert Hardacker

Steven Richman

Djung N Nguyen

Kazuto Mugura

Behram Mario Dacosta

Rolf Toft

Ludovic Etienne Douillet

Milton Massey Frazier

Dave Desch

Fujio Noguchi

Sriram Sampathkumaran

Behram daCosta

Takashi Hironaka

Prem Aanand Venkatesan

Ian Charles Matthews

Nicholas James Colsey

Mark A Schaffer

Jason R Meerbergen

Lucas Eberle

Maximilien Takano

Ronen Erlich

Leo Mark Pedlow, Jr

Robert L Hardacker

Rajesh K Rao

George Williams

Mark A Hanson

Systems and methods for sharing media over a network. The system includes an event server running an event application and configured to store event data and communicate with computing devices over a network. Events are defined based on a geolocation and a time period. Computing devices run a client application configured to send media, geolocations, authentication keys and timestamps over the network. The event server determines whether a computing device matches the event parameters, and if so, associates the computing device with the event. Associated computing devices are then able to access all media associated with the event.

Systems and methods for media sharing

A method of providing a user access to data files distributed in a plurality of different types of user devices is described. According to the method, a copy of data files stored locally at each user device is received at a server via a respective network communication link. Index information is generated based on the received data files. The index information facilitates performing a search operation using user-provided search information to select any of the data files. If a selected data file from the search operation is not stored locally at a desired user device, a copy of the selected data file is sent from the server via the respective network communication link to provide the user access to the selected data file at the desired user device.

Providing a user access to data files distributed in a plurality of different types of user devices

A consumer electronics (CE) device is configured to execute a conferencing application for a user to audibly communicate with at least one other person at least through a first audible input configuration configured for providing audio from the user to the other person. While executing the conferencing application, the CE device receives an audible input configuration command to change from the first audible input configuration to a second audible input configuration that is configured to not provide audio from the user to the other person and is also configured for receiving audible CE device commands from the user. In the second audible input configuration, the CE device thus receives audible commands from the user to either access information and provide the information to the user, and/or to initiate a note taking feature that converts audio from the user to text for viewing of the text on the CE device.

Providing information to user during video conference

A method consistent with certain implementations involves installing a protective film on a display panel by: placing a sheet of protective film adjacent a front surface of a display panel, where the front surface comprises a surface of the display panel that is displayed when in use, and where the display panel has an edge around a periphery of the display panel; drawing protective film into full contact with the front surface of the display panel; sealing the protective film to the front surface of the display panel at a location at or near the edge of the display panel around the periphery thereof to produce a peripheral sealed edge. The protective film can be drawn into full contact with the display panel by using a vacuum. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Replaceable protective layer on flat screen display

A handheld wireless device for controlling an electronic device. Ambient noise is automatically detected using a microphone and user preference parameters (e.g., volume) are adjusted, compensating for the detected noise. Plurality of signals are sent and received, operable to determine the location of the remote control, thereby operable to automatically tune various user preference parameters (e.g., surround sound). The remote control may be used as a telephone. When receiving a call, the caller information may be displayed using a popup window (e.g., on a television set). A call may be answered and the program may be paused/recorded/muted. The electronic device is automatically configured by identifying the user. A reader may read information on a payment card in a contactless manner. In one embodiment a radio frequency signal is used to reduce interference with LCD wavelength. The remote control may respond to a user command in order to be located.

Applications for remote control devices with added functionalities

A video encoder having multiple channels each capable of producing an independently controlled encoded output. In one embodiment, the video encoder has circuitry common to all of the channels and separate circuitry for each channel. The common circuitry can include a motion compensator, a transformer, and a local decoder. One or more of the separate circuitry can include a quantizer, a scanner, an encoder, and a buffer. Each channel includes quantization feedback, and one channel output is fed back to the local decoder for use in generating reference pictures. The channels are separately controllable for the characteristics of at least one of quantization, scanning, and encoding.

Video encoder with multiple outputs having different attributes

The detail and clarity of high-definition video content may be enhanced by a display device or client-side device before being displayed. In certain embodiments, the high-definition video image frames may be upsampled by scaling the image's resolution. The now-upsampled HD video image frames may then be low pass filtered so as to concentrate the image's energy distribution into a tighter range of frequencies. The filtered HD video image frames may then be sub-sampled back down, such as to the original HD image's frame resolution, or other HD-level resolution, without compromising image detail. In this fashion, the clarity and detail level in video content, even though already considered of a high-definition quality, may be further improved.

Method and apparatus for enhancement of high-definition video content

A controlled device such as a TV is vended with a legacy remote commander (RC) and legacy user interfaces (UI), but is programmed with authentication information to accept downloaded UI updates from an authenticated after market RC with more capabilities than the legacy RC.

Remote commander injecting new user interface (UI) into legacy controlled device to permit legacy controlled device to work with new remote commander

A method of providing improved quality of Internet Protocol (IP) video content over the Internet involves, for an item of content, calculating a score representative of a likelihood that a particular viewer will order the item of content; if the score is greater than a threshold score T, then downloading a portion of the item of content from a content provider, and storing the portion of the item of content in a storage location local to the viewer; if the viewer elects to view the item of video content, then: retrieving the stored portion of the item of video content, streaming an augmentation to the stored portion of the item of video content from the content provider, and combining the stored portion with the augmentation of the stored portion to produce an improved resolution version of the item of video content. This process can be carried out in an IPTV adapter. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

High quality video delivery via the internet

A power circuit device has a housing. A connection electrically couples AC power to an interior portion of the housing. A female electrical socket is coupled to the housing and is electrically coupled to and receives AC power from the connection. An AC to DC converter is electrically coupled to the connection to receive AC power therefrom and produce a DC output therefrom. A current sensor senses current drawn by one of the AC to DC converter and the female electrical socket. A switch, responsive to the current sensor, selectively removes power from the other one of the female electrical socket and the AC to DC converter when a drop in current is sensed by the current sensor. AC versions without DC conversion are also contemplated. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Power circuit with passthrough

An apparatus and method for collaborating over a short-range communication path between a video output device, such as a television, and a telephonic device which is also configured for simultaneous communication over a long-range communication path. Call progress of the telephonic device is annunciated by the video output device whose functions can be controlled through the telephonic device. Embodiments of the invention describe utilizing the telephonic device in a hands-free mode as well as tracking the relative position of the user based on the position of the telephone. The short-range communications can comprise a Bluetooth&#x2122; communications protocol, or similar short-range communications mechanism, which preferably provides a mechanism for identifying the telephonic device as well as its range and/or position.

Apparatus and method for collaborating between a video device and a telephonic device

A power brick device has a power brick housing. A male electrical plug electrically couples AC power to an interior portion of the power brick housing. A female electrical socket is coupled to the power brick housing and is electrically coupled to and receives AC power from the male electrical plug. An AC to DC converter is electrically coupled to the male electrical plug to receive AC power therefrom and produce a DC output therefrom. A current sensor senses current drawn by one of the AC to DC converter and the female electrical socket. A switch, responsive to the current sensor, selectively removes power from the other one of the female electrical socket and the AC to DC converter when a drop in current is sensed by the current sensor. AC versions without DC conversion are also contemplated. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Power brick with passthrough

A networked personal video recorder with shared resource and distributed content is provided. In one example, a method is provided for managing personal video recorders in a network. The method includes receiving a user defined recording task, recognizing each personal video recorder in the network as a collaborative peer, tracking statistical information on each personal video recorder, and delegating an appropriate personal video recorder to record the user defined recording task.

Networked personal video recorder with shared resource and distributed content

An adaptive clocking mechanism is provided for a digital display system. The digital display system includes a clock recovery system, for recovering a system time clock from a video bit-stream generated at an encoder, and a decoding system for decoding and decompressing the video bit-stream at a frame rate. The adaptive clocking mechanism operates to determine, from video format information transmitted from the encoder, the occurrence of a frame rate at which a transmitted signal is encoded that differs from a frame rate expected by the decoder. Upon such a determination, the adaptive clocking mechanism further operates to select a modifier from a group of modifiers based on format information derived from the video bit stream, including the encoded frame rate. The selected modifier is then applied to a synchronization function of the decoder in a manner to bring the decoder operation into synchronization with the non-expected encoder frame rate.

Adaptive clocking mechanism for digital video decoder

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Takaaki Ota