Patent Grant
8012023
Advancement of technology in the world of communications and computing has significantly advanced entertainment systems and enhanced user experiences. In general, entertainment systems strive to realistically recast an environment in which an event or game action occurs. Such trend can also involve recreating the environment based on a user's expectations or desires. Moreover, recent advancements in processing power and transmission capability have made it possible to recreate a realistic setting in relatively small computer enabled systems.
Typically, the entertainment industry offers a variety of passive and interactive forms of settings for amusements, which often are tailored depending on target audience. For example, different video games and television events or programs are specifically marketed to specific life styles, target age groups, and the like. Similarly, head mounted computer displays enable users to experience a graphical environment, wherein a user can enjoy an illusion of presence in the displayed environment. In general, such software for generating virtual reality environments have typically been employed for training and entertaining of personnel, wherein relatively inexpensive computing devices enable 3D virtual reality user interfaces. These 3D virtual reality worlds allow a user to explore a simulated environment. Such environments can further include views from an ordinary street scene with walkways, roads, and buildings to a completely fictitious landscape of an outer space planet. In general, the end goal with virtual reality interfaces still remains to provide the user the most realistic experience possible.
Moreover, there exists a tendency for computer games to emulate television programs, and there often is significant crossover between video games and television. For example, some computer video games are based on television programs, and other computer games subsequently become the subject of television programs or full-length feature movies. Despite similarities, there is little interaction between the video games and associated television programs. Typically, a user is either a participant of the video game, or a passive viewer of a television program or movie.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects described herein. This summary is not an extensive overview of the claimed subject matter. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the claimed subject matter nor delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject innovation provides for systems and methods that supply immersive entertainment, and create a sensation for a user(s) that is similar to having guests (who are in remote locations), to be presented as virtual guests to the user during performance of an event (e.g., a live sporting event, spectator game, television shows, games and the like)—via employing a presentation system and a virtual reality generation component. Such virtual reality generation component emulates activities of virtual guests (e.g., implement holographic avatars via a plurality of communication interfaces to imitate actions of virtual guests, and/or accepts functions provided to transform the activities, and the like). The presentation system can present such activities to the user, (e.g., activities of the virtual guest can be viewed, heard, felt, or otherwise presented to the senses of the user.) In addition, transform functions for activities can be supplied dynamically (e.g., based on type of virtual events)—for example transformation functions applied to virtual guests enable creation of a variety of scenarios (e.g., change of avatar representation, appearance of the virtual guest and the like.)
Although guests are only present virtually (e.g., electronically present with other objects/user within the environment), the user and guests can concurrently experience the event together—such that the user can feel actual presence of guests in the same environment (e.g., full duplex communication while experiencing the event, visual prompts exchange with virtual guest, shared emotions, other data exchange and the like.) For example, guests who have accepted the virtual invitation from remote locations can control their virtual presence thru avatars that represent them, e.g., through a combination of input mechanisms, such as: hand held input devices. Moreover, such guests can wear a tracking system of body motion, to control their virtual presence thru avatars that represent them, (e.g., data generated from electronic and electromagnetic tracking components can monitor bodily movement, and transfer such movements to a respective avatar and/or holographic virtual representation). Accordingly, the subject innovation supplies a platform to include a set of experiences, which are supplemented with continuous capturing of data and images (e.g., live video, continuous motion), to encompass information about the event/virtual guests, and to further allow such information to be accessible to a user on demand.
Additionally, users can also customize the entertainment or interaction with virtual guests by selection of a viewing angle, speed, re-plays and the like. A background isolation component can operate in conjunction with the entertainment system, to filter unwanted distractions. Accordingly, a dynamic multi-way communication channel can be established among the guests, users, and the event/show itself. Moreover, the interaction of the guests and users with each other can also determine manner of presentation for the show, e.g., close up scenes to be emphasized, censured, and the like.
Another aspect of the subject innovation provides for an infrastructure or portal (e.g., a Website) to access spectator related services. The portal can supply information about the occurrence of one or more live sporting games, live concerts, shows that are capable of viewing by the users and guests or other events. For example, the portal can include a user interface, which presents information about available event occurrences, to a user. The user can then decide to enjoy such event with virtual guests. The available events can correspond to real time or to delayed versions of the events, and can include visual and/or audio information about the available event occurrences; such as: identifying the name for each event, the number of active participants, the number of spectators, and the like. The portal can further include user interface elements that can be activated to connect to a spectator experience corresponding to a desired occurrence of a game or event.
The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative aspects of the claimed subject matter. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of such matter may be employed and the claimed subject matter is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The various aspects of the subject innovation are now described with reference to the annexed drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like or corresponding elements throughout. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description relating thereto are not intended to limit the claimed subject matter to the particular form disclosed. Rather, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter.
Moreover, the virtual reality component can implement holographic avatars, via a plurality of communication interfaces, to imitate a relationship between the user and the virtual guests/surrounding environment. Guests who have accepted the virtual invitation, and hence represented as virtual guests 103, 105, and 107 can control their virtual presence thru avatars that represent them, from remote locations; e.g., through a combination of input mechanisms, such as for example: hand held input devices and data generated from electronic and electromagnetic tracking devices that monitor bodily movement, as described in detail infra. Although virtual guests 103, 105, and 107 are only present virtually (e.g., electronically present with other objects/user within the environment), such virtual invitation enables a user and guests to concurrently experience the entertainment together (e.g., exchange of emotions during a live sporting event or spectator game; visual prompts exchange with virtual guest, other data exchange and the like.)
According to a further aspect of the subject innovation, the presentation engine 218 can be implemented as a process running at one or more computers programmed to facilitate interaction between users 212 and 214 and virtual guests 220 and 222 during the presentation system event 216. The virtual guests 220 and 222 can be coupled to the presentation engine 218 through respective communication links 224 and 226. Such links 224, 226 can be direct or indirect connections, such as through one or more proxy servers. A virtual guest 220, 222 can provide instructions to the presentation engine 218 regarding manner of interaction with the users 212, 214 during the event.
Such instructions affect overall experience of the users 212, 214 with the virtual guests 220, 222 and also other attributes of experiencing the event, e.g., ranking comments from virtual guests based on predetermined thresholds, re-play of scenes from the event based on demographics of virtual guests (who is a fan of which team), viewing angles, and the like. The presentation engine 218 can include one or more interfaces that expose methods and/or functions associated with the event to be experienced simultaneously by the users and virtual guests. Such interfaces enable users 212, 214 and virtual guests 220, 222 to communicate therebetween, e.g., by a corresponding process running on the virtual reality generation component 240 that facilitates communication of data between the virtual guests 220, 222 and the users 212, 214.
According to a particular aspect of the subject innovation, the presentation engine 218 can include state information 230 and object information 232, wherein the state information 230 can relate to parameters with values that define status and relationship of the users 212, 214 and virtual guests 220, 222 relative to an event that is shared and/or experienced therebetween. For example, state information 230 can pertain to which users and virtual guest admire a same player or share a common game strategy about a playing event. Such state information 230 can continually update as a function of time, in response to instructions received (and/or the absence of instructions) from the users 212, 214 and/or virtual guests, 220, 222. The state information 230 can further encompass a time stamp to facilitate synchronization of event data for respective users 212, 214 and virtual guests 220, 222. The state information 230, can further include event time, position or condition of the virtual guests 220 and 222 (e.g., who is fan of which team), historical or biographical information, and the like.
Likewise, the object information 232 can provide information about interaction of virtual guests 220, 222 with users 212, 214 and the event. The object data can identify the nature of communication (e.g., message exchange, holographic presentation, audio, desired manner of interacting within the users or event, and the like). The object information 232 and/or the state information 230 can be transceived with each virtual guest 220, 222 to facilitate rendering an animated representation thereof with each user 212, 214. Corresponding information can also be generated for each user 221, 214 based on the state information 230 and object information 232 and data provided by such users (e.g., who is a fan of which team, blockage of some virtual guests, and the like.)
The virtual reality generation component 240 can include a process running on one or more computers (e.g., a server) that operatively communicates with the presentation system 218, for example. Moreover, the virtual reality generation component 240 can receive information indicative of the occurrence of an event, based on which it can generate spectator data 242, such as type of representation for virtual gusts to the user 212, 214. In particular, one or more distribution systems 244 can employ the spectator data to, in turn, distribute (or broadcast) a corresponding signal to the users 212, 214. The users 212, 214 can interact with the virtual reality generation component 240, and receive the distributed spectator information from associated distribution system 244, via communication links 241, 243, 246 and 248 respectively. Such communications links can be direct connections, such as wired (e.g., optical or electrically conductive) or wireless connections, or indirect connections through one or more proxies, and unidirectional or bi-directional communications channel, for example.
In a related aspect and as illustrated in
A viewing control component 352 can be coupled to the aggregator 350 to receive aggregated state and object data. The viewing control 352 can process the aggregated data to provide enhanced spectator data, related to interaction of the virtual guests and/or users (e.g., simulate presence of the guest in an environment of the user during performance of the event.) In a related aspect, the viewing control 352 can implement virtual camera control in which a plurality of virtual cameras are utilized to provide cinematic features, such as for example to provide users with desirable viewing angles of virtual guests and/or events. For example, a virtual cameral control can automatically select virtual cameras based on preprogrammed cinematographic algorithms, or manually based on instructions from an authorized person or user (e.g., a human director).
In addition, users 312, 314 can employ virtual camera control to select a desired viewpoint to observe occurrence of the event and/or interaction with virtual guests. For example, a user can select to move between different virtual guests, to couple the virtual camera with one or more participants of the event, or implement an automatic camera control based on designated spectator preferences.
The virtual camera of the viewing control 352 also can be coupled with a guest, such as to follow that guest's activities during the event. The viewing control 352 further can dampen motion/interaction of the virtual guests in the representation provided to the spectators 312 and 314.
The virtual reality generation component 340 also can provide a representation of interaction of virtual guests 320, 322 with the spectator data 342; for example, presenting an indication (e.g., audio and/or visual) of virtual guests interaction with the event, such as applauding, cheering and the like. Moreover, virtual guest can be associated with each other, e.g., through a messaging service to enable communication between such virtual guests, (aside from connection with the users during the event.) Accordingly, the users can “feel” presence of the virtual guest during the event (e.g., have side conversations, observe reaction through visual holographs, and the like.) Hence, both the users and the virtual guests can implement features that cause such virtual guests/users to be aware of each other.
It is to be appreciated that numerous possible architectures exist, wherein the system 310 can be implemented in accordance with various aspects of the subject innovation. For example, such architecture and implementation therein can be driven by bandwidth considerations associated with the communication links by which the users 312, 314 interact with virtual guests 320 and 322 to receive and/or transmit information. By way of illustration, in a high bandwidth environment, the entire spectator experience including graphical and/or audio elements can be rendered from the spectator data 342 and then be transmitted over the distribution system(s) 344 to the users 312 and 314. In other circumstances, partial rendering (e.g., for interaction of users) can occur at the virtual reality generation component 340 (e.g., and prior to transmission from the distribution system 344). Likewise, in low bandwidth environments, it can be desirable to store most of the logic and graphical elements operative to generate the interaction environment at the side of users 312 and 314 (e.g., in CD ROM, DVD, hard disk drive, and the like), such that appropriate graphical and/or audio data can be accessed from such stored data to more rapidly create the spectator experience based on the spectator data. The users 312, 314 and guests represented by virtual guests 320, 322 can further employ consoles, such as are operative to connect to the Internet or other communication frameworks. As explained earlier, the system 310 can include televisions that receive the spectator experience as conventional broadcast data (e.g., broadband cable, digital cable, satellite, streaming, and the like). It is to be appreciated that the system 310 can employ more that one communications infrastructure to communicate data that creates the spectator experience, and users can control type of sense(s) to be engaged (e.g., selecting audio interaction with virtual guests, while not choosing scent of virtual guest during such interaction). Moreover, virtual partitions can be provided, which restrict access to some users and not others (e.g., private interaction rooms, chat rooms, and the like.)
A support vector machine (SVM) is an example of a classifier that can be employed. The SVM operates by finding a hypersurface in the space of possible inputs, which hypersurface attempts to split the triggering criteria from the non-triggering events. Intuitively, this makes the classification correct for testing data that is near, but not identical to training data. Other directed and undirected model classification approaches include, e.g., naïve Bayes, Bayesian networks, decision trees, neural networks, fuzzy logic models, and probabilistic classification models providing different patterns of independence can be employed. Classification as used herein also is inclusive of statistical regression that is utilized to develop models of priority.
As will be readily appreciated from the subject specification, the subject invention can employ classifiers that are explicitly trained (e.g., via a generic training data model 504) as well as implicitly trained (e.g., via observing user behavior, receiving extrinsic information). For example, SVM's are configured via a learning or training phase within a classifier constructor and feature selection module. Thus, the classifier(s) can be used to automatically learn and perform a number of functions, including but not limited to determining according to a predetermined criteria when to update or refine the previously inferred schema, tighten the criteria on the inferring algorithm based upon the kind of data being processed (e.g., prior event interactions between virtual guest and users), and at what type of event to implement tighter criteria controls (e.g., live sporting event versus a pre-recorded television show).
Artificial intelligence based systems (e.g., explicitly and/or implicitly training model 504) can be employed in connection with performing inference and/or probabilistic determinations and/or statistical-based determinations as in accordance with one or more aspects of the systems and methods as described hereinafter. As used herein, the term “inference” refers generally to the process of reasoning about or inferring states of the system, environment, and/or user from a set of observations as captured via events and/or data. Inference can be employed to identify a specific context or action, or can generate a probability distribution over states, for example. The inference can be probabilistic—that is, the computation of a probability distribution over states of interest based on a consideration of data and events. Inference can also refer to techniques employed for composing higher-level events from a set of events and/or data. Such inference results in the construction of new events or actions from a set of observed events and/or stored event data, whether or not the events are correlated in close temporal proximity, and whether the events and data come from one or several event and data sources. Various classification schemes and/or systems (e.g., support vector machines, neural networks, expert systems, Bayesian belief networks, fuzzy logic, data fusion engines . . . ) can be employed in connection with performing automatic and/or inferred action in connection with the subject systems and methods.
Referring to
The interface 650 also can include user interface elements or links to other related websites and/or services. By way of example, the interface can include selectable buttons or links, generally indicated at 662, which include: a link to the service provides homepage (HOME); an interactive of list of new events and/or games for which new spectator services are available (WHAT'S NEW); an interactive list of events such as television shows that have a substantially large group of audiences such as based on various ratings provided by critics and/or number of virtual guests that have indicated interest in participating in events (WHAT'S HOT); and an interactive list for VIP virtual guests as indicated by a user—(VIP virtual guest). The interactive list of guests, for example, can provide links to Web pages that contain more detailed information about each virtual guest, such as statistical information, biographical information, fan clubs and the like.
The illustrated interface 650 can also include a BUDDIES user interface element 664 that provides information indicative of additional users and/or other user preferred virtual guests logged on as spectators that are linked or associated with the user of the interface, such as by identifying characteristics shared between two or more users (e.g., through an instant messaging service). The BUDDIES interface element 664, for example, is a button or link that accesses another Web page or service operative to provide additional information about the user's associates and/or virtual guests. Such information can include a representation of the associate (e.g., graphical and/or textual) as well as each associate's location, namely, an indication of which game(s) the associate is a spectator.
It is to be appreciated that various tracking components for a distributed control system 1000 can be spatially distributed along a common communication link, (e.g., such as a belt 1001 around a user's body as illustrated in
Such collected data can be transmitted to the virtual reality generation component for processing in real time. The movement indicating data can be continuously processed within a virtual reality program, which is associated with the virtual reality generation component 1030. Accordingly, an object such as an avatar that represents the guest in virtual form (virtual guest) in the user setting has movements that substantially mimic the movements of the guest wearer. Moreover, bend sensors and pressure sensors can also be employed and connected to data collecting components 1002-1008. For example, the data collecting components 1002-1008 receive signals generated by a bend sensor(s) or pressure sensors, and processes the signals for transmitting movement indicating data to a recipient computer. The data collection unit can also include a low-pass filter (not shown) for removing noise in the signals received from the sensors.
An analog-to-digital signal converter (not shown) can also be provided for obtaining a representative data value for each of the signals generated by the bend and pressure sensors. After conversion, gathered data can be further normalized to provide signals indicating actual movement of the articulations of the guest wearer and to calibrate the sensors to accommodate for varying ranges of motion, for example. The normalized data can then be transmitted to the virtual reality generation component 1030 (e.g., associated with the virtual reality system and/or presentation engine) to implement holographic avatars, for example. Moreover, various health indicia (such as blood pressure, heart rate, and the like) of the guests can be monitored, and presented to a user, to enhance level of interaction between users and virtual guests—e.g., to signify excitement.
Such virtual reality generation component can supply a graphic, scent and/or audio; wherein interconnected computers, video and audio processing devices, supply a live interaction between a user and a guest(s). Next, and at 1130, guests can be represented virtually (e.g., electronically present with other objects/user within the environment). At 1140, the virtual invitation arrangement of the subject innovation enables a user and guests to concurrently experience the entertainment together (e.g., a live sporting event, spectator game), wherein the user can feel actual presence of guest(s) in same environment (e.g., full duplex communication while experiencing the event, odor, visual prompts exchange with virtual guest, data exchange and the like.)
As used in herein, the terms “component,” “system” and the like are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software or software in execution. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an instance, an executable, a thread of execution, a program and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a computer and the computer can be a component. One or more components may reside within a process and/or thread of execution and a component may be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers.
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Similarly, examples are provided herein solely for purposes of clarity and understanding and are not meant to limit the subject innovation or portion thereof in any manner. It is to be appreciated that a myriad of additional or alternate examples could have been presented, but have been omitted for purposes of brevity.
Furthermore, all or portions of the subject innovation may be implemented as a system, method, apparatus, or article of manufacture using standard programming and/or engineering techniques to produce software, firmware, hardware or any combination thereof to control a computer to implement the disclosed innovation. For example, computer readable media can include but are not limited to magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disk, floppy disk, magnetic strips . . . ), optical disks (e.g., compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD) . . . ), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., card, stick, key drive . . . ). Additionally it should be appreciated that a carrier wave can be employed to carry computer-readable electronic data such as those used in transmitting and receiving electronic mail or in accessing a network such as the Internet or a local area network (LAN). Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize many modifications may be made to this configuration without departing from the scope or spirit of the claimed subject matter.
In order to provide a context for the various aspects of the disclosed subject matter,
With reference to
The system bus 1218 can be any of several types of bus structure(s) including the memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus or external bus, and/or a local bus using any variety of available bus architectures including, but not limited to, 11-bit bus, Industrial Standard Architecture (ISA), Micro-Channel Architecture (MSA), Extended ISA (EISA), Intelligent Drive Electronics (IDE), VESA Local Bus (VLB), Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), Advanced Graphics Port (AGP), Personal Computer Memory Card International Association bus (PCMCIA), and Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI).
The system memory 1216 includes volatile memory 1220 and nonvolatile memory 1222. The basic input/output system (BIOS), containing the basic routines to transfer information between elements within the computer 1212, such as during start-up, is stored in nonvolatile memory 1222. By way of illustration, and not limitation, nonvolatile memory 1222 can include read only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable ROM (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory 1220 includes random access memory (RAM), which acts as external cache memory.
Computer 1212 also includes removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer storage media.
It is to be appreciated that
A user enters commands or information into the computer 1212 through input device(s) 1236. Input devices 1236 include, but are not limited to, a pointing device such as a mouse, trackball, stylus, touch pad, keyboard, microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, TV tuner card, digital camera, digital video camera, web camera, and the like. These and other input devices connect to the processing unit 1214 through the system bus 1218 via interface port(s) 1238. Interface port(s) 1238 include, for example, a serial port, a parallel port, a game port, and a universal serial bus (USB). Output device(s) 1240 use some of the same type of ports as input device(s) 1236. Thus, for example, a USB port may be used to provide input to computer 1212 and to output information from computer 1212 to an output device 1240. Output adapter 1242 is provided to illustrate that there are some output devices 1240 like displays (e.g., flat panel, CRT, LCD, plasma . . . ), speakers, and printers, among other output devices 1240 that require special adapters. The output adapters 1242 include, by way of illustration and not limitation, video and sound cards that provide a means of connection between the output device 1240 and the system bus 1218. It should be noted that other devices and/or systems of devices provide both input and output capabilities such as remote computer(s) 1244.
Computer 1212 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as remote computer(s) 1244. The remote computer(s) 1244 can be a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a workstation, a microprocessor based appliance, a peer device or other common network node and the like, and typically includes many or all of the elements described relative to computer 1212. For purposes of brevity, only a memory storage device 1246 is illustrated with remote computer(s) 1244. Remote computer(s) 1244 is logically connected to computer 1212 through a network interface 1248 and then physically connected (e.g., wired or wirelessly) via communication connection 1250. Network interface 1248 encompasses communication networks such as local-area networks (LAN) and wide-area networks (WAN).
Communication connection(s) 1250 refers to the hardware/software employed to connect the network interface 1248 to the bus 1218. While communication connection 1250 is shown for illustrative clarity inside computer 1216, it can also be external to computer 1212. The hardware/software necessary for connection to the network interface 1248 includes, for exemplary purposes only, internal and external technologies such as, modems including regular telephone grade modems, cable modems, power modems and DSL modems, ISDN adapters, and Ethernet cards or components.
The system 1300 includes a communication framework 1350 that can be employed to facilitate communications between the client(s) 1310 and the server(s) 1330. The client(s) 1310 are operatively connected to one or more client data store(s) 1360 that can be employed to store information local to the client(s) 1310. Similarly, the server(s) 1330 are operatively connected to one or more server data store(s) 1340 that can be employed to store information local to the servers 1330. For example, the virtual reality component can be associated with server(s) 1330. This web service server can also be communicatively coupled with a plurality of other servers 1330, as well as associated data stores 1340, such that it can function as a proxy for the client 1310.
What has been described above includes examples of aspects of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the disclosed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the disclosed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has” or “having” or variations in form thereof are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5263165 | Janis | Nov 1993 | A |
| 5495576 | Ritchey | Feb 1996 | A |
| 5537404 | Bentlet et al. | Jul 1996 | A |
| 5588914 | Adamczyk | Dec 1996 | A |
| 5774668 | Choquier et al. | Jun 1998 | A |
| 5850352 | Moezzi et al. | Dec 1998 | A |
| 5859972 | Subramaniam et al. | Jan 1999 | A |
| 5926179 | Matsuda et al. | Jul 1999 | A |
| 6040841 | Cohen et al. | Mar 2000 | A |
| 6064656 | Angal et al. | May 2000 | A |
| 6128004 | McDowall et al. | Oct 2000 | A |
| 6185567 | Ratnaraj et al. | Feb 2001 | B1 |
| 6195683 | Palmer et al. | Feb 2001 | B1 |
| 6209039 | Albright et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
| 6226260 | McDysan | May 2001 | B1 |
| 6325717 | Kawagoe et al. | Dec 2001 | B1 |
| 6341127 | Katsube et al. | Jan 2002 | B1 |
| 6352479 | Sparks, II | Mar 2002 | B1 |
| 6409599 | Sprout et al. | Jun 2002 | B1 |
| 6415288 | Gebauer | Jul 2002 | B1 |
| 6434532 | Goldband et al. | Aug 2002 | B2 |
| 6469991 | Chuah | Oct 2002 | B1 |
| 6496482 | Kubota | Dec 2002 | B1 |
| 6620043 | Haseltine et al. | Sep 2003 | B1 |
| 6707820 | Arndt et al. | Mar 2004 | B1 |
| 6745224 | D'Souza et al. | Jun 2004 | B1 |
| 6755743 | Yamashita et al. | Jun 2004 | B1 |
| 6917975 | Griffin et al. | Jul 2005 | B2 |
| 6961318 | Fichou et al. | Nov 2005 | B2 |
| 6999083 | Wong et al. | Feb 2006 | B2 |
| 7002926 | Eneboe et al. | Feb 2006 | B1 |
| 7020654 | Najmi | Mar 2006 | B1 |
| 7065041 | Sen | Jun 2006 | B2 |
| 7148895 | Konishi et al. | Dec 2006 | B2 |
| 7373377 | Altieri | May 2008 | B2 |
| 20020124053 | Adams et al. | Sep 2002 | A1 |
| 20020183115 | Takahashi et al. | Dec 2002 | A1 |
| 20030038805 | Wong et al. | Feb 2003 | A1 |
| 20030105734 | Hitchen et al. | Jun 2003 | A1 |
| 20030220143 | Shteyn et al. | Nov 2003 | A1 |
| 20030229623 | Chang et al. | Dec 2003 | A1 |
| 20040049537 | Titmuss | Mar 2004 | A1 |
| 20040076160 | Phaltankar | Apr 2004 | A1 |
| 20040098456 | Krzyzanowski et al. | May 2004 | A1 |
| 20040171381 | Inselberg | Sep 2004 | A1 |
| 20040193441 | Altieri | Sep 2004 | A1 |
| 20050033669 | Stremler et al. | Feb 2005 | A1 |
| 20050138419 | Gupta et al. | Jun 2005 | A1 |
| 20050238024 | Taylor et al. | Oct 2005 | A1 |
| 20050262132 | Morita et al. | Nov 2005 | A1 |
| 20050289234 | Dai et al. | Dec 2005 | A1 |
| 20060020700 | Qiu et al. | Jan 2006 | A1 |
| 20060031518 | Jennings | Feb 2006 | A1 |
| 20060036904 | Yang | Feb 2006 | A1 |
| 20060041606 | Sawdon | Feb 2006 | A1 |
| 20060048224 | Duncan et al. | Mar 2006 | A1 |
| 20060058103 | Danieli et al. | Mar 2006 | A1 |
| 20060062161 | Tang et al. | Mar 2006 | A1 |
| 20060123005 | Burnett et al. | Jun 2006 | A1 |
| 20070050715 | Behar | Mar 2007 | A1 |
| 20070115123 | Roberts et al. | May 2007 | A1 |
| 20070136572 | Chen et al. | Jun 2007 | A1 |
| 20080125226 | Emmerson | May 2008 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 0915595 | May 1999 | EP |
| 1058429 | Dec 2000 | EP |
| 1376309 | Jan 2004 | EP |
| 1524580 | Apr 2005 | EP |
| 1564622 | Aug 2005 | EP |
| 2409417 | Jun 2005 | GB |
| 2001282634 | Oct 2001 | JP |
| 1020040038271 | May 2004 | KR |
| 1020040107152 | Dec 2004 | KR |
| 1020060057563 | May 2006 | KR |
| WO9846029 | Oct 1998 | WO |
| WO 0008814 | Feb 2000 | WO |
| WO0175545 | Oct 2001 | WO |
| WO 2004002107 | Dec 2003 | WO |
| 2005022826 | Oct 2006 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20080079752 A1 | Apr 2008 | US |
