Patents by Inventor Michelle L. Vagnati

Michelle L. Vagnati 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).

  • Patent number: 9883242
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating content to a user device that includes a storage device having a network portion and a user portion. The user device stores content in a network partition thereof. The user device reallocates the content to a user portion of the storage device after storing is complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Romulo Pontual, Robert G. Arsenault, Raynold M. Kahn, Sui-Ky Ringo Ling, Luke J. Crook, John D. Choi, Michelle L. Vagnati, John L. Norin
  • Patent number: 9819982
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating content to a user device includes a head end that communicates a plurality of upcoming content metadata that includes a content title to the user device. The user device displays the upcoming content metadata and selects at least one upcoming content metadata from the plurality of upcoming content metadata to form selected data. The user device communicates the selected data to the head end. The head end adjusts head end communication parameters for the content associated with the selected data based on the selected data and communicates the content to a user device based on the head end communication parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Romulo Pontual, John L. Norin, Robert G. Arsenault, Raynold M. Kahn, Sui-Ky Ringo Ling, Luke J. Crook, John D. Choi, Michelle L. Vagnati, Stephen P. Dulac
  • Patent number: 9729932
    Abstract: A system and method for preordering content includes a content processing system and a user device in communication with the content processing system. The content processing system receives program guide data for linear channels and receives future available content data at the user device. The future available content data comprises an availability window having an availability start time and an availability end time. The user device stores the program guide data in the user device storing the future available content data in a memory of the user device, forms a future content selection, and stores the future content selection in a queue until the availability window is reached. When within the availability window, the user device communicates a material identification to the content processing system. The content processing system communicates the content corresponding to the material identification to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Michelle L. Vagnati
  • Patent number: 9693106
    Abstract: A system and method for preordering content includes a content processing system and a user device in communication with the content processing system. The content processing system receives program guide data for linear channels and receives future available content data at the user device. The future available content data comprises an availability window having an availability start time and an availability end time. The user device stores the program guide data in the user device storing the future available content data in a memory of the user device, forms a future content selection, and stores the future content selection in a queue until the availability window is reached. When within the availability window, the user device communicates a material identification to the content processing system. The content processing system communicates the content corresponding to the material identification to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Michelle L. Vagnati
  • Patent number: 9628761
    Abstract: A method for arranging virtual channels and linear channels for a content processing system includes establishing a linear channel number assignment for linear channel, generating a virtual channel assignment and arranging the virtual channel assignments with a predetermined relationship to the linear channel number assignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Michelle L. Vagnati
  • Publication number: 20160360255
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating content to a user device includes a head end that communicates a plurality of upcoming content metadata that includes a content title to the user device. The user device displays the upcoming content metadata and selects at least one upcoming content metadata from the plurality of upcoming content metadata to form selected data. The user device communicates the selected data to the head end. The head end adjusts head end communication parameters for the content associated with the selected data based on the selected data and communicates the content to a user device based on the head end communication parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Romulo PONTUAL, John L. NORIN, Robert G. ARSENAULT, Raynold M. KAHN, Sui-Ky Ringo LING, Luke J. CROOK, John D. CHOI, Michelle L. VAGNATI, Stephen P. DULAC
  • Patent number: 9456247
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating content to a user device includes a head end that communicates a plurality of upcoming content metadata that includes a content title to the user device. The user device displays the upcoming content metadata and selects at least one upcoming content metadata from the plurality of upcoming content metadata to form selected data. The user device communicates the selected data to the head end. The head end adjusts head end communication parameters for the content associated with the selected data based on the selected data and communicates the content to a user device based on the head end communication parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Romulo Pontual, John L. Norin, Robert G. Arsenault, Raynold M. Kahn, Sui-Ky Ringo Ling, Luke J. Crook, John D. Choi, Michelle L. Vagnati, Stephen P. Dulac
  • Patent number: 9137556
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating content to a user device includes a head end that communicates metadata for a plurality of content including the content titles. The system also includes the user device that generates a screen display comprising the plurality of content titles from the metadata and generates a selection corresponding to a first content title from a user interface, the user device adds metadata for the first content title to a queue and displays the queue in a priority order on the screen display. The user device is tuned to receive content corresponding to the first content title and stores the content in a storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Romulo Pontual, John L. Norin, Robert G. Arsenault, Raynold M. Kahn, Sui-Ky Ringo Ling, Luke J. Crook, John D. Choi, Michelle L. Vagnati, David Eric Shanks, Steven Kasakitis, Eric J. Bennett, Kenny C. Chen, Stephen P. Dulac
  • Publication number: 20140373066
    Abstract: A system and method for preordering content includes a content processing system and a user device in communication with the content processing system. The content processing system receives program guide data for linear channels and receives future available content data at the user device. The future available content data comprises an availability window having an availability start time and an availability end time. The user device stores the program guide data in the user device storing the future available content data in a memory of the user device, forms a future content selection, and stores the future content selection in a queue until the availability window is reached. When within the availability window, the user device communicates a material identification to the content processing system. The content processing system communicates the content corresponding to the material identification to the user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
    Inventor: Michelle L. Vagnati
  • Publication number: 20110289522
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating content to a user device includes a head end that communicates metadata for a plurality of content including the content titles. The system also includes the user device that generates a screen display comprising the plurality of content titles from the metadata and generates a selection corresponding to a first content title from a user interface, the user device adds metadata for the first content title to a queue and displays the queue in a priority order on the screen display. The user device is tuned to receive content corresponding to the first content title and stores the content in a storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Romulo Pontual, John L. Norin, Robert G. Arsenault, Raynold M. Kahn, Sui-Ky Ringo Ling, Luke J. Crook, John D. Choi, Michelle L. Vagnati, David Eric Shanks, Steven Kasakitis, Eric J. Bennett, Kenny C. Chen, Stephen P. Dulac
  • Publication number: 20090031344
    Abstract: A method for arranging virtual channels and linear channels for a content processing system includes establishing a linear channel number assignment for linear channel, generating a virtual channel assignment and arranging the virtual channel assignments with a predetermined relationship to the linear channel number assignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Michelle L. Vagnati
  • Publication number: 20090031348
    Abstract: A system for tuning virtual channels and linear channels includes a user device receiving program guide data for linear channels and receiving homepage data for a virtual channel. The user device stores the program guide data and the homepage data for the virtual channel in a memory. The user device has a user interface generating a channel number selection. The user device tunes to the linear channel when the channel number selection corresponds to a linear channel and retrieves the homepage data from the memory. The homepage information is displayed when the channel number selection corresponds to a virtual channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
    Inventor: Michelle L. Vagnati
  • Publication number: 20090031345
    Abstract: A system and method for preordering content includes a content processing system and a user device in communication with the content processing system. The content processing system receives program guide data for linear channels and receives future available content data at the user device. The future available content data comprises an availability window having an availability start time and an availability end time. The user device stores the program guide data in the user device storing the future available content data in a memory of the user device, forms a future content selection, and stores the future content selection in a queue until the availability window is reached. When within the availability window, the user device communicates a material identification to the content processing system. The content processing system communicates the content corresponding to the material identification to the user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group. Inc.
    Inventor: Michelle L. Vagnati
  • Publication number: 20090031369
    Abstract: A system and method for ordering content for a user device includes an ordering interface such as an interactive interface having available content. The interactive interface receives a content selection corresponding to a content from the interactive interface and communicating a customer identifier and a material identification to a transaction system. A content processing system communicates a control word to the user device. A user device receives the content corresponding to the material identification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Alistair E. Jeffs, Michelle L. Vagnati, Karen E. McFarland