Houman A Azarm

US Patent:

7069571, Jun 27, 2006

Filed:

Jun 15, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/334131

Inventors:

Eric E. Del Sesto - Alameda CA, US
James R. Collette - Alameda CA, US
Jeffrey W. Yu - Alameda CA, US
Charlie McCullough - Saratoga CA, US
Pat Ransil - Alameda CA, US
Bryce S. Catlin - Alameda CA, US
Houman Azarm - Alameda CA, US

Assignee:

Wink Communications, Inc. - Alameda CA

International Classification:

H04N 9/00

US Classification:

725 14, 725 25, 725 32, 725 40, 725 51, 725 61, 725112, 725131, 725139

Abstract:

A method and apparatus facilitate the retirement of interactive applications in a manner associated with an external event and a program state of the interactive application. A broadcaster transmits an interactive application that includes a plurality of retirement instructions associated with external events and internal program states of the interactive application. A broadcast receiver receives an interactive application, stores the included retirement instructions, and executes the interactive application concurrently with the display of an associated television program. The broadcast receiver monitors the broadcast signal for events indicating that the executing interactive application is no longer appropriate for the current television program. Upon detection of such an event, the broadcast receiver retrieves the stored instructions, and retires the interactive application in a manner appropriate for both the detected external event and the internal program state of the interactive application, according to the stored instructions.

US Patent:

7222155, May 22, 2007

Filed:

Apr 25, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/843614

Inventors:

Bryan C. Gebhardt - Fremont CA, US
Houman Azarm - Oakland CA, US
Charles N. McCullough - Oakland CA, US
Edward Valdivia - SF CA, US

Assignee:

Wink Communications, Inc. - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709204, 725140, 725 36, 725 61

Abstract:

An automation server interfaces with broadcast scheduling systems of various types to automatically synchronize the behavior of interactive applications relative to various broadcast programs, such as television shows and commercials, so as to maintain the appropriate interactive application for whatever broadcast program is airing. This allows for television shows which have an associated interactive application, but which are segmented by commercials (which may have their own interactive applications) to have their interactive application displayed while the television show in on, but not during commercials, while maintaining any state information that has been created during execution of the interactive application. The automation server includes multiple channel interfaces, each having a translator and an event manager. The translator translates native control signals from the scheduling system into a fixed set of atomic commands which represent the lifecycle behavior of a broadcast program.

US Patent:

7941564, May 10, 2011

Filed:

Mar 6, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/682733

Inventors:

Bryan C. Gebhardt - Fremont CA, US
Houman Azarm - Oakland CA, US
Charles N. McCullough - Oakland CA, US
Edgard S. Valdivia - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Wink Communications Inc. - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709248, 709217, 709218, 725 32, 725 10, 725 13, 725 14, 725 34, 725 46, 725 48, 725 60

Abstract:

An automation server interfaces with broadcast scheduling systems of various types to automatically synchronize the behavior of interactive applications relative to various broadcast programs, such as television shows and commercials, so as to maintain the appropriate interactive application for whatever broadcast program is airing. This allows for television shows which have an associated interactive application, but which are segmented by commercials (which may have their own interactive applications) to have their interactive application displayed while the television show in on, but not during commercials, while maintaining any state information that has been created during execution of the interactive application. The automation server includes multiple channel interfaces, each having a translator and an event manager. The translator translates native control signals from the scheduling system into a fixed set of atomic commands which represent the lifecycle behavior of a broadcast program.

US Patent:

8201208, Jun 12, 2012

Filed:

Aug 29, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/652850

Inventors:

Alain Delpuch - Les Essarts le Roi, FR
Bryan Gebhardt - Fremont CA, US
Houman Azarm - Oakland CA, US
Steven Berriatua - San Carlos CA, US

Assignee:

OpenTV, Inc. - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

H04N 7/173

US Classification:

725119, 725 36, 725 37, 725 54, 725114, 725118, 725127

Abstract:

A broadcaster generates programming content and a carousel containing chunks of data defining one or more interactive applications. The programming content and carousel are received by a local gateway which distributes the carousel and content to receivers at end-users via a distribution network. A carousel proxy in the local gateway receives the inbound carousel from the broadcaster and modifies it to produce an outbound carousel suited for the distribution network, receivers, and/or end-users. The modifications performed by the carousel proxy include filtering chunks and/or data within the chunks from the inbound carousel and transforming data within the chunks to customize the interactive applications for the distribution network, receivers, and/or end-users. The carousel proxy also caches chunks in a cache of a local data store. The carousel proxy uses the cached chunks to send the outbound carousel at a rate optimized for the bandwidth available on the distribution network.

US Patent:

8595232, Nov 26, 2013

Filed:

May 16, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/122364

Inventors:

Houman Azarm - San Francisco CA, US
Erich Ringewald - Belvedere CA, US
Michael Yang - San Francisco CA, US

International Classification:

G06F 7/00
G06F 17/30

US Classification:

707737, 707738, 707740

Abstract:

Systems and methods of linking media content information are provided. A particular method of linking media content information includes receiving data including first descriptive information associated with an electronic version of particular media content. The method also includes searching a database, based on the first descriptive information, to identify second descriptive information. The second descriptive information is associated with a physical media product and the physical media product stores the particular media content. Additionally, the method includes storing a data record in memory relating the electronic version of the particular media content to the second descriptive information.

US Patent:

6530084, Mar 4, 2003

Filed:

Nov 1, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/431001

Inventors:

Eric E. Del Sesto - Alameda CA
Charlie McCullough - Saratoga CA
Pat Ransil - Alameda CA
Houman Azarm - Oakland CA

Assignee:

Wink Communications, Inc. - Alameda CA

International Classification:

H04N 5445

US Classification:

725 61, 725 60, 725 32, 725136, 725139, 725141

Abstract:

A method and apparatus facilitate control of interactive application execution through use of defined time periods. A broadcaster transmits a broadcast program, an associated interactive application, and at least one definition of a time period from a set including: a first time period, during which an option to execute the application may be offered to a viewer; a second time period, during which execution of the application may be started; and a third time period, during which the application may be executed. A viewer tunes to a channel associated with the broadcast program and interactive application. A broadcast receiver offers the viewer the option to execute the interactive application, if within the first defined time period. If the user elects to so execute, the broadcast receiver starts said execution, if within the second defined time period. If the interactive application continues to execute at the end of the third defined time period, the broadcast receiver retires the interactive application.