Animatronic Eye with an Electromagnetic Drive and Fluid Suspension and with Video Capability
Granted: March 17, 2011
Application Number:
20110066239
An animatronic eye with fluid suspension, electromagnetic drive, and video capability. The eye assembly includes a spherical, hollow outer shell that contains a suspension liquid. An inner sphere is positioned in the outer shell in the suspension liquid to be centrally floated at a distance away from the shell wall. The inner sphere includes painted portions providing a sclera and iris and includes an unpainted rear portion and front portion or pupil. The shell, liquid, and inner sphere…
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENCODING AND TRANSMITTING HIGH DEFINITION 3-D MULTIMEDIA CONTENT
Granted: March 3, 2011
Application Number:
20110050860
One particular implementation of the present invention may take the form of a method and system for encoding and/or transmitting high definition 3-D multimedia content. In one embodiment, the frames for each eye of a viewer may be transmitted in a frame sequential manner to a display device, with an occasional null frame included in the frame stream. The null frame may be ignored by the display device and not presented to the viewer. In another embodiment, a synchronization signal may be…
SMS-SPONSORED WAP ADVERTISEMENT
Granted: March 3, 2011
Application Number:
20110053568
Various embodiments of systems, methods, computer devices, and computer software for providing an integrated SMS/WAP advertisement are disclosed. One embodiment comprises a system for providing SMS-sponsored WAP advertisements. One such system comprises a short messaging service (SMS) application server and a web server. The SMS application server is configured to send a short message service (SMS) message to a mobile terminal that has an embedded link to a wireless access protocol (WAP)…
ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM PROVIDING DYNAMICALLY AUGMENTED GAME SURFACES FOR INTERACTIVE FUN AND LEARNING
Granted: March 3, 2011
Application Number:
20110053688
A system for visually enhancing a game structure having a game surface and objects that move on the game surface. The system includes a projector that projects digital augmentation content or themed images onto the game surface, with the images including static and animated images. The system includes a tracking mechanism that generates tracking data from the game surface and game objects, with the tracking data defining positions of the game objects relative to the game surface. The…
CROSS-PLATFORM TARGETED ADVERTISEMENTS
Granted: March 3, 2011
Application Number:
20110055012
Various embodiments of systems, methods, computer devices, and computer software are disclosed for implementing cross-platform targeted advertisements. One embodiment is a method for providing a targeted advertisement. One such method comprises: accessing one of a web site and a mobile site in an initial session; collecting information related to a user in the initial session; storing the collected information; accessing the other of the web site and the mobile site in a subsequent…
INTERACTIVE ANIMATION
Granted: February 24, 2011
Application Number:
20110043529
An interactive animation environment. The interactive animation environment includes at least one user-controlled object, and the animation method for providing this environment includes determining a position of the user-controlled object, defining a plurality of regions about the position, detecting a user input to move the position of the user-controlled object, associating the detected user input to move the position of the user-controlled object with a region in the direction of…
WATERLESS SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING FAN-SHAPED FOUNTAIN EFFECT
Granted: February 24, 2011
Application Number:
20110045227
An apparatus for creating a water disk effect without water. The apparatus includes first and second disks, each having a first side with a substantially planar surface and a second side with a surface textured with a three dimensional (3D) pattern or topography including raised, arcuate ridges in a whirlpool or spiral arrangement. The apparatus includes a housing that supports the first and second disks for independent rotation about a common axis. The disks are positioned such that the…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS AMONG RESOURCES
Granted: February 24, 2011
Application Number:
20110047273
A method for managing relationships among resources includes providing a first resource having a first resource identifier, providing a second resource having a second resource identifier, and upon user initiation creating a managed relationship between the first resource identifier and the second resource identifier.
Systems and methods for presenting third party advertisements in a rich media environment
Granted: February 24, 2011
Application Number:
20110047481
There is provided a system and method for converting advertisements in a first Internet Application (IA) format for providing a presentation document using a second IA format. There is provided a system comprising a processor configured to obtain and retrieve an advertising script in the first IA format including referenced media assets and an interactive function, translate the interactive function to generate a translated function in the second IA format, generate a wrapper function in…
System and method for enhancing socialization in virtual worlds
Granted: February 24, 2011
Application Number:
20110047486
There is provided a system and method for inducing a reply from a first client connected to a virtual world to facilitate a social interaction using a second client connected to the virtual world. There is provided a method for inducing a reply from a first client connected to a virtual world to facilitate a social interaction using a second client connected to the virtual world, the method comprising locating, in the virtual world, an avatar of the second client in a proximity of an…
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AN ANAMORPHIC PEPPER'S GHOST ILLUSION
Granted: February 17, 2011
Application Number:
20110037952
An assembly and method of generating a Pepper's ghost illusion involving an image generation platform, such as a computer providing an anamorphically-distorted image coupled with some form of display projects an image, directly or indirectly on a spherical medium. The spherical medium reconstitutes the anamorphically-distorted image and generates a Pepper's ghost illusion of the reconstituted anamorphically-distorted image.
METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONTENT FILTERING
Granted: February 10, 2011
Application Number:
20110035456
Systems and arrangements are provided for filtering language. As presently preferred, these are configured to filter inappropriate language, symbols, words, etc on web sites or used in chat rooms. Embodiments create one or more arrays of inappropriate character strings representing, for example, obscene words and character combinations. Embodiments identify the inappropriate character strings, for example in chat text, and edit them to an appropriate form, for example with cartoon…
TIGHT INBETWEENING
Granted: January 27, 2011
Application Number:
20110018880
A tool for inbetweening is provided, wherein inbetween frames are at least partly computer generated by analyzing elements of key frames to identify strokes, determining corresponding stroke pairs, computing a continuous stroke motion for each stroke pair, defined by a carrier defined by endpoints of the two strokes and, for mutual endpoints, adjusting the continuous stroke motion of the meeting strokes such that the adjustment results in the continuous stroke motion coinciding at the…
COMPUTER GRAPHICS METHOD FOR CREATING DIFFERING FOG EFFECTS IN LIGHTED AND SHADOWED AREAS
Granted: January 27, 2011
Application Number:
20110018890
A method for providing fog or fading due to atmospheric effects during computer animation of an image. The method includes determining a lighting value for a scene's or an image's pixels based on the positions of the pixels relative to a light source. The method includes, for each of the pixels, setting a fade in start distance for each pixel measured from a camera location so as to define when fog is added, e.g., when to fade a pixel's color by blending this color with a fog color. The…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FORMING A COMPOSITE IMAGE IN A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE HAVING A DUAL SCREEN DISPLAY
Granted: January 27, 2011
Application Number:
20110018901
A system and method for forming a composite image from a secondary image reflected on to the display of a primary image is disclosed. Furthermore, applications for using the composite image in a video gaming context are disclosed.
KINETIC FLAME DEVICE
Granted: January 27, 2011
Application Number:
20110019422
An apparatus creating a flickering flame effect. The apparatus includes a housing with an interior space with first and second stages. A drive mechanism generates a time varying electromagnetic field extending into the first stage. A first pendulum member is pivotally mounted in the interior space of the first stage and includes first and second magnets on first and second ends, with the first end proximate to the drive mechanism such that the first magnet interacts with the varying…
Invisible three-dimensional image and methods for making, using and visibility of same
Granted: January 20, 2011
Application Number:
20110012503
There is provided a system and method for providing and utilizing objects having invisible three-dimensional images. There is provided an object comprising an inner material and an outer material. The inner material is formed in a three-dimensional shape and includes a first portion having a first ratio based on a first fluorescent dye and a first transparent material, wherein the first ratio is selected such as to cause the first portion to remain transparent when exposed to a visible…
INTERACTIVE PROJECTED SANDBOX
Granted: January 20, 2011
Application Number:
20110013147
A method for creating an interactive display in which users/players can form the projection screen. The method includes providing granular display material, such as a layer of sand in a container, and storing a guide image and a display image in memory of a control system. Then, a projector is first operated to project the guide image on an upper surface of the display material. After a sculpting period or in response to a user or operator provided trigger, the method includes second…
Universal file packager for use with an interoperable keychest
Granted: January 13, 2011
Application Number:
20110007903
There is provided a system and method for a universal file packager for use with an interoperable key chest. There is provided a method for distributing media contents to distributors, comprising obtaining a first key, a second key and a content, encrypting the second key using the first key to generate an encrypted second key, encrypting the content using the second key to generate an encrypted content, generating a key information file including the encrypted second key, generating a…
FOOTAGE REPORTING
Granted: January 13, 2011
Application Number:
20110008018
Footage used in an aired show by a broadcaster, broadcasting network or similar entity can be more easily tracked and reported to rights holders. An electronic cutsheet can be created for a video package. The electronic cutsheet includes information identifying one or more footage items included in the video package and any rights holders associated with the footage item. Using the cutsheets, a number of playlists can be created or otherwise provided. Each playlist is associated with at…
