Patents by Inventor Christopher Heck

Christopher Heck has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220353581
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining available media content items and identifying a first number of wireless broadcast channels of a wireless network having a limited channel capacity and adapted to broadcast media content items within a coverage area. A demand for a group of media content items is identified, and media content items are selected according to the demand, wherein broadcasting of the selected media content items within the coverage area does not exceed the limited channel capacity. The selected media content items are assigned to a group of broadcast channels of the first number of wireless broadcast channels to obtain a broadcast channel assignment for the coverage area. The wireless network is configured to broadcast the selected media content items within the coverage area via wireless broadcast channels according to the broadcast channel assignment. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Darren Kaufman, Frank Coppa, Christopher Heck
  • Patent number: 11425465
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining available media content items and identifying a first number of wireless broadcast channels of a wireless network having a limited channel capacity and adapted to broadcast media content items within a coverage area. A demand for a group of media content items is identified, and media content items are selected according to the demand, wherein broadcasting of the selected media content items within the coverage area does not exceed the limited channel capacity. The selected media content items are assigned to a group of broadcast channels of the first number of wireless broadcast channels to obtain a broadcast channel assignment for the coverage area. The wireless network is configured to broadcast the selected media content items within the coverage area via wireless broadcast channels according to the broadcast channel assignment. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Darren Kaufman, Frank Coppa, Christopher Heck
  • Publication number: 20210127167
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining available media content items and identifying a first number of wireless broadcast channels of a wireless network having a limited channel capacity and adapted to broadcast media content items within a coverage area. A demand for a group of media content items is identified, and media content items are selected according to the demand, wherein broadcasting of the selected media content items within the coverage area does not exceed the limited channel capacity. The selected media content items are assigned to a group of broadcast channels of the first number of wireless broadcast channels to obtain a broadcast channel assignment for the coverage area. The wireless network is configured to broadcast the selected media content items within the coverage area via wireless broadcast channels according to the broadcast channel assignment. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Darren Kaufman, Frank Coppa, Christopher Heck
  • Patent number: 10917695
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining available media content items and identifying a first number of wireless broadcast channels of a wireless network having a limited channel capacity and adapted to broadcast media content items within a coverage area. A demand for a group of media content items is identified, and media content items are selected according to the demand, wherein broadcasting of the selected media content items within the coverage area does not exceed the limited channel capacity. The selected media content items are assigned to a group of broadcast channels of the first number of wireless broadcast channels to obtain a broadcast channel assignment for the coverage area. The wireless network is configured to broadcast the selected media content items within the coverage area via wireless broadcast channels according to the broadcast channel assignment. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Darren Kaufman, Frank Coppa, Christopher Heck
  • Patent number: 10602213
    Abstract: A processing system may identify a trajectory of a mobile endpoint device from a first management area toward a second management area of the cellular network, identify a first media program that is being broadcast by at least one base station in the first management area on a first broadcast channel that is tuned to by the mobile endpoint device, and determine a level of aggregate demand for the first media program in the second management area, where the level of aggregate demand is increased when it is identified that the mobile endpoint device is tuned to the first broadcast channel. The processing system may further assign the first media program to a second broadcast channel of at least one base station in the second management area based upon the level of aggregate demand, and broadcast the first media program via the second broadcast channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Darren Kaufman, Frank Robert Coppa, Christopher Heck
  • Publication number: 20200037035
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining available media content items and identifying a first number of wireless broadcast channels of a wireless network having a limited channel capacity and adapted to broadcast media content items within a coverage area. A demand for a group of media content items is identified, and media content items are selected according to the demand, wherein broadcasting of the selected media content items within the coverage area does not exceed the limited channel capacity. The selected media content items are assigned to a group of broadcast channels of the first number of wireless broadcast channels to obtain a broadcast channel assignment for the coverage area. The wireless network is configured to broadcast the selected media content items within the coverage area via wireless broadcast channels according to the broadcast channel assignment. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Darren Kaufman, Frank Coppa, Christopher Heck
  • Publication number: 20180376190
    Abstract: A processing system may identify a trajectory of a mobile endpoint device from a first management area toward a second management area of the cellular network, identify a first media program that is being broadcast by at least one base station in the first management area on a first broadcast channel that is tuned to by the mobile endpoint device, and determine a level of aggregate demand for the first media program in the second management area, where the level of aggregate demand is increased when it is identified that the mobile endpoint device is tuned to the first broadcast channel. The processing system may further assign the first media program to a second broadcast channel of at least one base station in the second management area based upon the level of aggregate demand, and broadcast the first media program via the second broadcast channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: DARREN KAUFMAN, Frank Robert Coppa, Christopher Heck
  • Publication number: 20160366491
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for delivering advertising data, the method including but not limited to, based on determining that a preferred end user device type is a cell phone, sending an advertisement having the preferred advertising type to a cell phone associated with the end user; based on determining that the preferred end user device type is a mobile computer, sending an advertisement having the preferred advertising type to a mobile computer associated with the end user; and based on determining that the preferred end user device type is a television display associated with a set top box, sending an advertisement having the preferred advertising type to a television display associated with a set top box associated with the end user. A system is disclosed for performing the method. A data structure embedded in a computer readable medium is disclosed for containing data for performing the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher Heck, Nicholas Nicas, James Huffman
  • Patent number: 8923135
    Abstract: A particular method may include detecting at a first network device of a video distribution network a fault in transmission of a stream of media data with a media channel. The method also includes, in response to detecting the fault, transmitting a notification that includes fault information corresponding to the detected fault and the stream of media data corresponding to the media channel from the first network device to a second network device of the video distribution network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Douglas Medina, Frank Coppa, Christopher Heck
  • Publication number: 20140282720
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for delivering advertising data, the method including but not limited to, based on determining that a preferred end user device type is a cell phone, sending an advertisement having the preferred advertising type to a cell phone associated with the end user; based on determining that the preferred end user device type is a mobile computer, sending an advertisement having the preferred advertising type to a mobile computer associated with the end user; and based on determining that the preferred end user device type is a television display associated with a set top box, sending an advertisement having the preferred advertising type to a television display associated with a set top box associated with the end user. A system is disclosed for performing the method. A data structure embedded in a computer readable medium is disclosed for containing data for performing the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Christopher Heck, Nicholas Nicas, James Huffman
  • Patent number: 8423417
    Abstract: A method for delivering advertising data, comprising receiving end user data at a server, the data indicating available advertising spots in content data stored at an end user device; and updating from the server advertising data in the available advertising spots for presentation of the advertising data during replay of the content data at the end user device. A system is disclosed for performing the method. A data structure embedded in a computer readable medium is disclosed for containing data for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: Christopher Heck, Nicholas Nicas, James Huffman
  • Publication number: 20110317020
    Abstract: A particular method may include detecting at a first network device of a video distribution network a fault in transmission of a stream of media data with a media channel. The method also includes, in response to detecting the fault, transmitting a notification that includes fault information corresponding to the detected fault and the stream of media data corresponding to the media channel from the first network device to a second network device of the video distribution network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Douglas Medina, Frank Coppa, Christopher Heck
  • Publication number: 20090132358
    Abstract: A method for delivering advertising data, comprising receiving end user data at a server, the data indicating available advertising spots in content data stored at an end user device; and updating from the server advertising data in the available advertising spots for presentation of the advertising data during replay of the content data at the end user device. A system is disclosed for performing the method. A data structure embedded in a computer readable medium is disclosed for containing data for performing the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: ATT Knowledge Ventures L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher Heck, Nicholas Nicas, James Huffman