Bizarre Patents
A self defense weapon formed as a memo pad and which is easily held by a person's fingers, therefore making it possible to provide protection from a mugger and also to quickly and easily write a record or a message without failure of missing or forgetting significant information under a stressful situation.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8131676 | Updating media-location data for media-playing entities This document describes tools capable of updating media-location data for media-playing entities. These tools allow a developer of an application to use data binding to update media-location data for the media-playing entities without the need to write custom code. | 03/06/2012 |
| 8099748 | System and method for distribution of picture objects A system and a suitable method for distribution of picture objects which are stored with assigned picture object information in a picture object database. In a media center of the system, user identification data are received which are transmitted to the media cente... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8091100 | Prompting of audience member identification An audience measurement system determines the likelihood that an audience member is in the audience of a receiver during a particular day part. If the audience member is not likely to be in the audience of the receiver during that day part, the audience member is pr... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8065698 | Methods, systems, and computer program products for obtaining consumer information over a communications network Default media services are provided to a multi-user multimedia device over a communications network responsive to identification of the multi-user multimedia device. Additional media services are provided to the multi-user multimedia device over the communications n... | 11/22/2011 |
| 7987477 | Technique for identifying favorite program channels for receiving entertainment programming content over a communications network A favorites list of program channels which a cable TV user likely prefers is generated automatically from which the user may select a program channel to watch. Each program channel in the favorites list is identified based on a measure of the duration in which the p... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7950029 | Method for interactive television using foveal properties of the eyes of individual and grouped users and for protecting video information against the unauthorized access, dissemination and use thereof A method of interactive television providing for generating, transforming or displaying video information taking into account individual peculiarities of the user's eye and individual peculiarities of a group of viewer's eyes. The method provides simultaneously all ... | 05/24/2011 |
| 7908617 | Broadcast receiving system responsive to ambient conditions A broadcast receiving system incorporating an echo canceling means automatically initiates recording of the broadcast and also controls the sound volume by taking into account the viewer's movements and ambient conditions, by using echo canceling means of the type u... | 03/15/2011 |
| 7865915 | Content discovery and differential advertising in video distribution networks A method and apparatus for monitoring use patterns or services available information in video distribution networks. A network termination unit receives the video content through a port, demodulates and decodes the signals to produce display signals. The display sig... | 01/04/2011 |
| 7739705 | Methods and apparatus for using location information to manage spillover in an audience monitoring system Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for using location information to manage spillover in an audience monitoring system are disclosed. In particular, the example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture detect spillover to generate media monitorin... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7730505 | Stream reproducing device A stream reproducing device performing automatic viewing of a non-viewed period of a stream. The stream reproducing device comprises a camera a person detecting unit detecting the viewer based on the output of the camera, a viewing information generating unit genera... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7716697 | Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and method There is provided a technique which, in the case where the operation has not occurred in a manner as expected by the user, determines from which standpoint the operation was not as expected, and makes a response that is closer to the expectation. An informati... | 05/11/2010 |
| 7665104 | Content transmission system In a conventional content transmission system, there has been a problem that it takes a long time from when a user, who tries to start viewing and listening of content, issues a command to a receiver by using a remote controller or the like until when the user can a... | 02/16/2010 |
| 7565671 | System and method for diffusing image objects A system and a suitable method for distribution of picture objects which are stored with assigned picture object information in a picture object database. In a media center of the system, user identification data are received which are transmitted to the media cente... | 07/21/2009 |
| 7509663 | Technique for identifying favorite program channels for receiving entertainment programming content over a communications network A favorites list of program channels which a cable TV user likely prefers is generated automatically, from which the user may select a program channel to watch. Each program channel in the favorites list is identified based on a measure of the duration in which the ... | 03/24/2009 |
| 7428744 | Method and device for detecting data concerning the viewing of video information and the relaying of this information to a central data processing installation Method, device and system for capturing and processing viewing data, which viewing data relates to the viewing behavior of users when viewing video data. Data about lines of sight of a user relative to the viewed video data are determined by projecting video data di... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7397961 | Apparatus and methods for digital image compression Methods and systems for compression of digital images (still or motion sequences) are provided wherein predetermined criteria may be used to identify a plurality of areas of interest in the image, and each area of interest is encoded with a corresponding quality lev... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7383019 | Field data collection and relay station A field data collection and relay station is equipped to receive sensor data from locations in a region. The station has directional antennas that are focused to transmit and receive energy in and from unique directions. The station establishes a wireless network in... | 06/03/2008 |
| 7379655 | Information searching device, information receiver, and methods therefor By storing usage history information of a recording medium for recording information, which is obtained by using the recording medium, in storing means 13, and retrieving information that matches a user's preference from a plurality of information based on th... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7379705 | Mobile station randomizing of message transmission timing to mitigate mass message event To mitigate the impact of a mass communication event, such as a mass voting event, on the resources of the mobile wireless communication network, each user's mobile station is adapted to appropriately adjust its timing of the transmission during the mass communicati... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7366687 | Donation processing system The present invention realizes that a contribution is indirectly made to a content creator in the form of contribution data via a management server of an ASP in such a manner that contribution data equivalent to a given amount corresponding to a contribution button ... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7346556 | System and method for performing purchase transactions utilizing a broadcast-based device Disclosed is a system and method for performing purchase transactions utilizing a broadcast-based device. In one embodiment, an online user interface is used to enter a plurality of user preferences that are then used to tailor what purchase options will be availabl... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7339853 | Time stamping events for fractions of a clock cycle Generally, the embodiments are directed to circuits and methods for time stamping an event at a fraction of a clock cycle. A time stamping circuit comprises two or more detection circuits. The detection circuits receive an event-in signal and generate event signals ... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7337458 | Content recommendation device with user feedback A content recommendation device is provided, including a selection engine selects content items from a content item pool and generates a selection list including the selected content items, wherein said selection engine selects the content items from a content item ... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7327505 | Method for providing affective information in an imaging system A method for collecting and associating affective information for at least one image in an imaging system includes displaying a digital image for viewing by a particular user; automatically collecting affective information for the digital image as the particular use... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7322009 | Three dimensional light electronic programming guide A method and apparatus of displaying an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG). In one embodiment, an EPG is displayed in a three dimensional virtual mesh, in which independent objects representing television programs are situated. The simplified nature of the three dim... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7316025 | Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding broadcast or recorded segments and monitoring audience exposure thereto Methods and apparatus for encoding and decoding information in broadcast or recorded segment signals are described. In certain embodiments, an audience monitoring system encodes identification information in the audio signal portion of a broadcast or recorded segmen... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7311665 | Bio-information sensor monitoring system and method A bio-information monitoring system passively monitors a patient with a remote portable bio-information unit that takes various bio-information measurements at selected time intervals as well as at random times without patient intervention. The measurements are conv... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7302103 | Apparatus and methods for digital image compression Methods and systems for compression of digital images (still or motion sequences) are provided wherein predetermined criteria may be used to identify a plurality of areas of interest in the image, and each area of interest is encoded with a corresponding quality lev... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7302419 | Dynamic operator identification system and methods A system and method for dynamically determining the demographic identity of an individual operating a set-top box, is disclosed which may include monitoring set top-box events for a plurality of set-top boxes, correlating set-top box events with demographic characte... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7296282 | Interactive optical cards and other hand-held devices with increased connectivity A system for deriving benefits from the reception and processing of composite video signals by a hand-held device, such as a smart card. Video signals are modulated with auxiliary data creating composite video signals. The composite video signals are then transmitte... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7278153 | Content propagation in interactive television A process of propagates viewing assets on a system of video storages. The process includes copying a missing portion of a replica of a selected viewing asset onto a target video server. The act of copying is responsive to determining that a priority to propagate the... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7277671 | Wireless response system and method A wireless response system includes a base unit and a plurality of handheld response units communicating with the base unit over a wireless communication link. The base unit sends polling commands to the response units over the wireless communication. The response u... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7269835 | Method and system for managing timed responses to A/V events in television programming Exemplary embodiments provide an incentive for a viewer to watch and react to audio/video programming. For example, the viewer may be prompted during a program to provide an indicated response to an event within an indicated time period. Thereafter, the indicated re... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7264546 | Interactive wagering system with promotions An interactive wagering system is provided that promotes wagering to users at user equipment. The user equipment may be based on a set-top box and television, a personal computer, a cellular telephone with a display, or other such devices. Wagering may be promoted b... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7260823 | Profiling and identification of television viewers Profiling a television viewer by monitoring and processing, locally at a television viewing environment, the viewer's interactivity (e.g., via a remote control unit) with the television viewing environment. Generating one or more profiles for each viewer based on on... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7257604 | System and method for communicating information relating to a network resource A system and method for communicating information relating to a network resource. A computer for displaying supplemental information about another document on a display screen for a user. Guiding individuals to places of interest on a network where information is st... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7254605 | Method of modulating the transmission frequency in a real time opinion research network A computer-implemented transmission scheme is provided to control client-server interchanges within a distributed communications network, such as a real time opinion research system. Interchanges include transmitting media streams between one or more clients to a se... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7251625 | Customer identification system and method A method and system are presented for identifying a customer in a commercial transaction using less than complete identifying information. A name for the customer is extracted from a credit card during a purchase transaction. A trade area for the point of sale locat... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7248834 | Communication apparatus A portable terminal includes a near-field communication (NFC) device for performing information communication via near-field communication; a write button; and a read button. In order to write information stored in the portable terminal into an information providing... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7248912 | Tissue implantable sensors for measurement of blood solutes A tissue-implantable sensor for measurement of solutes in fluids and gases, such as oxygen and glucose, is provided. The sensor includes a multiplicity of detectors, constructed and arranged to improve the probability that one or more detectors will have access to a... | 07/24/2007 |
