Sony Corporation

Sony Electronics Inc

Other

Yuko Nishikawa

Steven Friedlander

Kazuto Mugura

Michael A Bergeron

Jenny S Chow

Seth Hill

Kim Mingo

Tracy Ho

Philip McKay

Himgan Wibisono

Sabrina Tai-Chen Yeh

Hyehoon Yi

Aaron John Dew

Travis Charles Baurmann

Sabrina Yeh

John Salisbury

Thomas Patrick Dawson

Ted Dunn

Rolf Toft

Edgar Allan Tu

Joseph I Saib

George Edward Williams

Tracy Barnes

Andy Proehl

Dayan Golden

Ronaldo Diaz

Brant L Candelore

David Andrew Young

Marvin DeMerchant

Toshiro Ozawa

Lindsay Miller

Takashi Hironaka

Rajesh Rao

Allison Joi Burgueno

James R Huston

David Tao

Yumiko Minakawa

Ludovic Legrand

Ron Diaz

Tara Burnhouse

Hiroki Sugimoto

Monish Subherwal

Nga Marie Phan Nguyen

An audio-video (AV) reproduction device that comprises at least one audio capturing device, at least one speaker, a memory, and circuitry. The memory stores setup information associated with first-time device setup of the audio-video reproduction device. The first-time device setup is associated with a plurality of configuration settings of the AV reproduction device. The circuitry controls the at least one speaker to output a message in the setup information, and controls the at least one audio capturing device to receive a user input based on the message. The circuitry compares the user input with at least one condition associated with the message. The circuitry configures a configuration setting from the plurality of configuration settings based on the comparison. The circuitry controls at least a function of the AV reproduction device based on the configured configuration setting.

Audio-video reproduction device setup using interview-based voice control

A TV display presents a grid of thumbnails representing content available for display from the Internet and next to the grid, a column of thumbnails representing content that conforms to a user-entered query. The conforming content is located by searching the Internet, from an EPG, from local TV storage, and from the TV's home network. Search result thumbnails are prioritized according to user navigation history.

Search query column for internet-connected TV's

A wireless signal strength indication is displayed on a TV, representing the signal strength of a wireless link between the Internet and an Internet adapter module providing Internet video to the TV.

Communication signal strength display for TV internet adapter

Methods and apparatus for navigating video content. Digital markers may be placed at desired locations within recorded or cached video content. In one embodiment, these markers (or bookmarks) may be used to instantly jump to a particular scene or location within a video presentation. Such markers may be manually or automatically placed during live caching of video content or playback of previously recorded content. In another embodiment, selectable thumbnailed images that are representative of the video content at previously bookmarked locations may be presented to a user. Such selectable thumbnailed images may be integrated with a DVR status bar and, when selected, may be used to begin viewing stored video content from the bookmark corresponding to which ever thumbnail is chosen.

Method and apparatus for navigating video content

A digital device comprises data processing unit displaying a graphic user interface (GUI) and an initial setup module. The initial setup module includes autodetection module, contextual help module, and advertisement module. The autodetection module automatically detects at least one of a network, a television cable, and a plurality of inputs connected to the digital device, and populates a connections list in a second panel including the result of the automatic detection. The contextual help module displays at least one of texts, images and animations in a first panel that help the user understand the steps of the initial setup. The advertisement module displays advertisements in the first panel when the digital device is loading. The digital device may be loading at least when the autodetection module is automatically detecting or when the contextual help module is loading the at least one of texts, images and animations to be displayed.

Initial setup with auto-detection, contextual help and advertisement space

A method for consolidating and comparing recommendations in selecting TV content for viewing by compiling and displaying recommendation and rating values for the same TV content from Sony and a number of other recommendation and ratings providers. Presenting all recommendation values on a single visual display and providing the preferred Sony recommendation in the most prominent display position and font, and allowing the viewer to select the Sony recommendation value to select that content for viewing.

Recommendation comparison display

A method for providing content related to a multimedia program on a display device where currently viewed multimedia programs are monitored so that content related to the currently viewed multimedia program may be retrieved from a content source and displayed on a flexible user interface on the display device upon request by the user, in which the user is able to adjust a size and position of the flexible user interface on the display device.

Interactive access to media or other content related to a currently viewed program

A method whereby an actual image of a TV viewer as captured by a camera housed in the TV, or an emoticon selected by the processor of the TV through the use of facial recognition method, can be displayed on the viewer's display or a friend's display along with title of video, audio captured by a microphone also housed in the viewer's TV, and text inputted by the viewer.

Overlaying camera-derived viewer emotion indication on video display

An example television Widget movement method involves receiving a dedicated command from a remote controller that activates the plurality of Widget programs, when in Display mode, display Widget representations on a display; receiving a command that establishes one of the plurality of displayed Widget programs as the Widget program that is currently in focus; and receiving a command that places the Widget program currently in focus in Move Mode. The Widget can be moved about the display while in Move Mode, where when the Widget is in Move Mode, the Widget representation is responsive to navigation commands to move about the display. Such movement is animated using a 3 dimensional graphics engine and accompanied by an audio sound effect. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

TV widget animation with audio

A favorites GUI for a TV includes a carousel-type display of icons representing user-defined favorites that is overlaid on the current background video of the TV, with the center-most icon being the 'current' icon and being enlarged relative to the other icons. Live video appears in icons representing TV channels. Other icons can represent, e.g., favorite photo/music files, favorite games from a game console, favorite content from an ambient player, etc.

Favorite GUI for TV

An ambient, beautiful, entertaining visual experience that can be displayed on a TV requiring little or no user interaction beyond initiation. Multiple image layers that may be still or moving video, photos, etc, or a combination thereof can be overlaid on each other.

Overlaid images on TV

A communication error message is displayed on a TV when an error is noted on a control data link between the TV and an Internet adapter module connected thereto.

Communication error message for TV internet adapter

Digital marks are used to define segments that are sequenced in a custom content compilation that provides a virtual program. A system is configured to receive definitions of digital marks that locate segments within program content. The segments are scenes or other portions of programs that constitute less than the entirety of the program content. A series of digital marks are associated as being within a content compilation sequence. Playback of the virtual program entails sequential output of the segments corresponding to the digital marks. Alternative content includes user photos, video clips and audio clips. The virtual program may also be automatically built through access to user profile or related information.

Custom content compilation using digital chapter marks

Methods and apparatus for customizing content navigation. In one embodiment, a user navigates through pre-recorded or cached content in accordance with on one or more user preferences. Such user preferences may include one or more of content cache size, instant replay time, advance time, FF/REV speeds, slow motion speed and overshoot correction. In one embodiment, a DVR setup menu may be used to enter the user preferences via a remote control device. The user preferences may then be saved in non-volatile memory and used for navigation of subsequent content playback.

Method and apparatus for customizing content navigation

Growing community of inventors

La Jolla, CA, United States of America

Yuko Nishikawa