Stephen Geoffrey Perlman

US Patent:

6353422, Mar 5, 2002

Filed:

Mar 31, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/540134

Inventors:

Stephen G. Perlman - Palo Alto CA 94301

Assignee:

Stephen G. Perlman - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G09G 500

US Classification:

345 7, 345 8, 345 9

Abstract:

A virtual image system is disclosed comprising: a passive optical unit for interfacing with portions of a users head; and an optical projection unit directing a retinal scanning beam into the passive optical unit, the optical projection unit detached from the passive optical unit.

US Patent:

6412112, Jun 25, 2002

Filed:

Feb 8, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/246275

Inventors:

Peter T. Barrett - San Francisco CA
Steven C. Wasserman - Mountain View CA
Stephen G. Perlman - Mountain View CA

Assignee:

WebTV Networks, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

H04N 716

US Classification:

725152, 725 54, 725143

Abstract:

A system for distributing digital data over a video channel to a plurality of remotely located client terminals. The system involves selecting a set of digital data to be distributed and converting it to an intermediate format compatible with video broadcast. The intermediate data is then broadcast over a video channel during a time when no video content is being transmitted so that the intermediate format data takes the place of the video content. The intermediate format data is received at a remotely located client terminal where the set of digital data is recovered.

US Patent:

6424342, Jul 23, 2002

Filed:

Sep 16, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/154181

Inventors:

Stephen G. Perlman - Mountain View CA
Beth Clough - Mountain View CA

Assignee:

Webtv Networks, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G06F 1700

US Classification:

345418, 382232

Abstract:

Systems and methods for mapping, decompressing, and compositing graphical image in preparation for displaying an image on a display screen. Graphical image data is received by a graphics engine, which maps portions of the data to pixel positions on the display screen. If the data is compressed, it is decompressed after being mapped to pixel locations. The data is then composited in a scanline buffer, which stored display parameters that specify the colors and other properties of pixel in a single scanline on the display screen. Mapping the data prior to decompression reduces the random access memory resources otherwise required. In particular, the entire volume of compressed graphical image data received by the graphics engine does not need to be decompressed and stored in a random access memory device before being mapped to pixels on the display screen. In addition, the scanline buffers allow an entire frame on the display screen to be refreshed while storing, at any one instant, composited data corresponding to no more than two scanlines.

US Patent:

6505232, Jan 7, 2003

Filed:

Oct 23, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/035386

Inventors:

Lee S. Mighdoll - San Francisco CA
Bruce A. Leak - Palo Alto CA
Stephen G. Perlman - Mountain View CA
Phillip Y. Goldman - Los Altos CA

Assignee:

WebTV Networks, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G06F 1516

US Classification:

709203, 709202, 709217, 709219, 709227, 709228, 709229, 707 9, 707 10, 713200

Abstract:

A server system provides a client system with a number of on-line services including a log-in service. Once the server receives a request from the user for initiating access to the server, the log-in service accesses a user database for information including access privileges of the authorized user in relation to the other services available on the server. The server then generates an information packet containing this information, and transmits the information packet to the client. The client than transmits a second request to the server, requesting use of another service offered by the server. The information packet provided by the server in response to the log-in request is transmitted along with the second request to the server. The server then regulates access by the client to this other service by using the information packet transmitted back to the server from the client. Thus, access to the user database is minimized.

US Patent:

6530085, Mar 4, 2003

Filed:

Sep 16, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/154609

Inventors:

Stephen G. Perlman - Mountain View CA

Assignee:

WebTV Networks, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

H04N 718

US Classification:

725 82, 725 80, 439502

Abstract:

Systems and methods that reduce the complexity of interconnecting various consumer electronics devices. One consumer electronics device, such as an Internet terminal, forms a central hub to which all other consumer electronics devices are connected. The Internet terminal has a plurality of identical, interchangeable tongue and groove connectors, each having a plurality of pins. The connectors are identical and interchangeable in that a cable designed to connect a consumer electronics device to the Internet terminal may be plugged into any of the connectors and operate properly. A plurality of cables, each specifically adapted to connect to an existing or future type of consumer electronics device, are used to connect the consumer electronics devices to the connectors at the Internet terminal. Each cable has a connector at one end that attaches to the identical, interchangeable connectors, and one or more connectors at the other end that attach to the particular consumer electronics device. The Internet terminal senses the type of cable attached thereto and performs any appropriate configuration of the connector pins in order to match the signals provided or received from the connector to the particular cable.

US Patent:

6539407, Mar 25, 2003

Filed:

Nov 21, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/717977

Inventors:

Stephen G. Perlman - Mountain View CA
Bruce Leak - Palo Alto CA

Assignee:

WebTV Networks, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G06T 500

US Classification:

707513, 345428

Abstract:

A method and system are provided for reducing flicker of an image defined in HTML format for display on a television monitor. When an image is retrieved from a server by a user browser system that uses a television monitor and a dedicated computer system to display HTML documents, analysis is performed on the image to determine whether the image exhibits a tendency to interlace flicker if such an image were to be displayed unmodified on the television monitor. If the analysis indicates that the image would exhibit a tendency to interlace flicker, the dedicated computer system identifies a flicker reduction filter that reduces the interlace flicker. The dedicated computer system applies the filter to the images before it is displayed on the television monitor. Otherwise, the dedicated computer system displays the image as retrieved from the server without flicker reduction filtering.

US Patent:

6577346, Jun 10, 2003

Filed:

Jan 24, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/490885

Inventors:

Stephen G. Perlman - Palo Alto CA

Assignee:

WebTV Networks, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

H04N 1100

US Classification:

348460, 725 19, 358908

Abstract:

A method and system are described for identifying video segments (e. g. , commercials or television programs) without using any identification data that may or may not be provided in the non-displayed overscan portion or the vertical blanking interval of the video signal. Instead, the video segment is identified by recognizing patterns in the viewable portion of the video image data and/or in the video sound data. If the pattern is unique to a specific video segment, that video segment is identified by, for example, looking up the pattern in a table correlating patterns with video segment identifications. Any number of functions may be performed using this identification.

US Patent:

6584506, Jun 24, 2003

Filed:

Sep 8, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/392001

Inventors:

Stephen G. Perlman - Mountain View CA
Phillip Y. Goldman - Los Altos CA

Assignee:

WebTV Networks, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G06F 1516

US Classification:

709227, 709241

Abstract:

A client is coupled to a modem pool and a server by a communication link in a wide area network. The client allows a user to browse the World Wide Web in response to user inputs entered at the client device. The communication link to the client is shared by a telephone circuit at the client end of the link. A disruption in communication with the server may occur due to a Call Waiting signal caused by an incoming telephone call, or due to another user picking up a telephone extension associated with the client. In response to such a disruption, the client saves the browsing status after which communication with the server is terminated. When the telephone line is once again available for connecting to the server, the client uses the browsing information saved to reconnect to the Web page that was displayed by the client at the time of the disruption.