公开(公告)号：US20250008304A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-02

申请号：US18757306

申请日：2024-06-27

Applicant: Sling TV L.L.C.

Inventor： Robert Drew Major ,  Mark Hurst ,  Kyle Powell

IPC: H04W4/06

Abstract: Systems, devices, and automated processes optimize bandwidth utilization in wireless network systems such as satellite systems, 5G and other cellular networks, and wireless local area networks with multiple distribution nodes. Redundant unicasts of media streams are replaced by multicasts that can be transmitted by a subset of the available distribution nodes. This allows customer devices to receive redundant content over shared bandwidth that is available to the particular customer devices requiring access to the redundant content. Subsets of distribution nodes can be selected for transmitting multi-casts, thereby further reducing the amount of system bandwidth needed to provide high-quality media streams to multiple customer devices operating within the wireless network system.

公开(公告)号：US12126846B2

公开(公告)日：2024-10-22

申请号：US17827237

申请日：2022-05-27

Applicant: Sling TV L.L.C.

Inventor： Eric Dyoniziak ,  Robert Drew Major

IPC: H04N21/233 ,  H04N21/81

CPC classification number: H04N21/233 ,  H04N21/812

Abstract: The present invention recognizes media content using signatures generated by network devices with limited processing power. An audio signal is prepared for application of a discrete Fourier transform (DFT). Outputs from the DFT include real components and imaginary components that are used to calculate output magnitudes associated with frequency bins. The frequency-amplitude pairs include the output magnitudes and the associated frequency bins. A signature of the audio signal is generated by selecting a predetermined number of frequency-amplitude pairs having dominant output magnitudes. The network devices that generate the signatures may transmit the signatures to a server for analysis. The server may trigger actions in response to detecting known content based on the received signatures matching known signatures.

公开(公告)号：US20240236441A1

公开(公告)日：2024-07-11

申请号：US18611473

申请日：2024-03-20

Applicant: Sling TV L.L.C.

Inventor： Robert Drew Major

IPC: H04N21/81 ,  H04N21/258 ,  H04N21/4147 ,  H04N21/44 ,  H04N21/488 ,  H04N21/845

CPC classification number: H04N21/812 ,  H04N21/25883 ,  H04N21/4147 ,  H04N21/44008 ,  H04N21/4882 ,  H04N21/8456

Abstract: Systems, devices and processes are provided to facilitate video streaming. The various embodiments facilitate the detection of program promotions in a video stream, where program promotions include commercial content that advertises future programs. In general, the embodiments facilitate the detection of program promotions in a video stream through the use of automated process monitors the video stream and determines that a content block is a program promotion when that content block meets a defined set of criteria. This set of criteria can include criteria such as time adjacency, timespan, audio, video and textual factors, and when the content was previously first detected. In such embodiments the ability to detect program promotions using the set of criteria facilitates the replacement of these program promotions with other, potentially more valuable, content.

公开(公告)号：US20240155167A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-09

申请号：US18416435

申请日：2024-01-18

Applicant: Sling TV L.L.C.

Inventor： Robert Drew Major ,  Leo Davis ,  Howard Davis

IPC: H04N21/239 ,  H04N21/231 ,  H04N21/274

CPC classification number: H04N21/2396 ,  H04N21/23113 ,  H04N21/274

Abstract: A remote storage digital video recorder (RSDVR) retains multiple copies of media programs so long as the copies are expected to be useful to at least one user. Rather than assigning copies to specific users at the time the program is recorded, copies can be assigned as the users request access to the particular media programs. Copies of unassigned programs can be deleted according to a schedule to reduce disk storage and processing demands on the system. A pool of program copies that are not initially assigned to particular users can be maintained until the user makes a specific request to view the program. This “late assignment” of program copies can substantially reduce the amount of data stored by the RSDVR system without substantially impacting the viewer experience.

公开(公告)号：US20250036682A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-30

申请号：US18913818

申请日：2024-10-11

Applicant: Sling TV L.L.C.

Inventor： Eric Dyoniziak ,  Robert Drew Major

IPC: G06F16/783 ,  H04N21/235 ,  H04N21/266 ,  H04N21/81

Abstract: The present invention recognizes media content using signatures generated by network devices with limited processing power. A signature comprises a first set of frequency-amplitude pairs associated with a first piece of content. The signature is compared with stored signatures corresponding to known content. Each of the stored signatures comprises a stored set of frequency-amplitude pairs. The first piece of content is identified as being or including known content in response to the first signature matching a stored signature.

公开(公告)号：US12141201B2

公开(公告)日：2024-11-12

申请号：US17827211

申请日：2022-05-27

Applicant: Sling TV L.L.C.

Inventor： Eric Dyoniziak ,  Robert Drew Major

IPC: G06F16/783 ,  H04N21/235 ,  H04N21/266 ,  H04N21/81

Abstract: The present invention recognizes media content using signatures generated by network devices with limited processing power. A signature comprises a first set of frequency-amplitude pairs associated with a first piece of content. The signature is compared with stored signatures corresponding to known content. Each of the stored signatures comprises a stored set of frequency-amplitude pairs. The first piece of content is identified as being or including known content in response to the first signature matching a stored signature.

公开(公告)号：US11902604B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-13

申请号：US18181436

申请日：2023-03-09

Applicant: Sling TV L.L.C.

Inventor： Robert Drew Major ,  Leo Davis ,  Howard Davis

IPC: H04N21/239 ,  H04N21/231 ,  H04N21/274

CPC classification number: H04N21/2396 ,  H04N21/23113 ,  H04N21/274

Abstract: A remote storage digital video recorder (RSDVR) retains multiple copies of media programs so long as the copies are expected to be useful to at least one user. Rather than assigning copies to specific users at the time the program is recorded, copies can be assigned as the users request access to the particular media programs. Copies of unassigned programs can be deleted according to a schedule to reduce disk storage and processing demands on the system. A pool of program copies that are not initially assigned to particular users can be maintained until the user makes a specific request to view the program. This “late assignment” of program copies can substantially reduce the amount of data stored by the RSDVR system without substantially impacting the viewer experience.

公开(公告)号：US11611786B2

公开(公告)日：2023-03-21

申请号：US17852808

申请日：2022-06-29

Applicant: Sling TV L.L.C.

Inventor： Robert Drew Major ,  Leo Davis ,  Howard Davis

IPC: H04N21/239 ,  H04N21/231 ,  H04N21/274

Abstract: A remote storage digital video recorder (RSDVR) retains multiple copies of media programs so long as the copies are expected to be useful to at least one user. Rather than assigning copies to specific users at the time the program is recorded, copies can be assigned as the users request access to the particular media programs. Copies of unassigned programs can be deleted according to a schedule to reduce disk storage and processing demands on the system. A pool of program copies that are not initially assigned to particular users can be maintained until the user makes a specific request to view the program. This “late assignment” of program copies can substantially reduce the amount of data stored by the RSDVR system without substantially impacting the viewer experience.

公开(公告)号：US20220086532A1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-17

申请号：US17447138

申请日：2021-09-08

Applicant: Sling TV L.L.C.

Inventor： Robert Drew Major

IPC: H04N21/81 ,  H04N21/4147 ,  H04N21/488 ,  H04N21/44 ,  H04N21/845 ,  H04N21/258

Abstract: Systems, devices and processes are provided to facilitate video streaming. The various embodiments facilitate the detection of program promotions in a video stream, where program promotions include commercial content that advertises future programs. In general, the embodiments facilitate the detection of program promotions in a video stream through the use of automated process monitors the video stream and determines that a content block is a program promotion when that content block meets a defined set of criteria. This set of criteria can include criteria such as time adjacency, timespan, audio, video and textual factors, and when the content was previously first detected. In such embodiments the ability to detect program promotions using the set of criteria facilitates the replacement of these program promotions with other, potentially more valuable, content.

公开(公告)号：US20250016388A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-09

申请号：US18895838

申请日：2024-09-25

Applicant: Sling TV L.L.C.

Inventor： Eric Dyoniziak ,  Robert Drew Major

IPC: H04N21/233 ,  H04N21/81

Abstract: The present invention recognizes media content using signatures generated by network devices with limited processing power. An audio signal is prepared for application of a discrete Fourier transform (DFT). Outputs from the DFT include real components and imaginary components that are used to calculate output magnitudes associated with frequency bins. The frequency-amplitude pairs include the output magnitudes and the associated frequency bins. A signature of the audio signal is generated by selecting a predetermined number of frequency-amplitude pairs having dominant output magnitudes. The network devices that generate the signatures may transmit the signatures to a server for analysis. The server may trigger actions in response to detecting known content based on the received signatures matching known signatures.