Patents by Inventor Randy Zimler
Randy Zimler 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).
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Patent number: 9021365Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to determine a common user interface to be presented by a group of media devices of a premises where the group of media devices are capable of receiving media content from the server over a power line of the premises and are capable of presenting the media content, detect user interaction with the common user interface from different media devices of the group of media devices, and transmit display signals to the group of media devices for displaying the user interaction on the common user interface, where the display signals differentiate the different media devices that received the user interaction. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2009Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LPInventors: John Alson Hicks, III, Randy Zimler
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Patent number: 8995919Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first transmission from a device, the first transmission transmitted at a first frequency. In response to receiving the first transmission, a transceiver is disabled and a second transmission is transmitted to the device, the second transmission transmitted at a second frequency. The method further includes receiving a third transmission from the device, the third transmission transmitted at the second frequency.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2011Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Randy Zimler, George B. Bolam, James A. Worsham, Jr.
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Patent number: 8775660Abstract: Systems, methods, and equipment for use in the management of network topology and bandwidth for computing networks are provided. In an illustrative implementation of a device acting as a patch panel is provided. The patch panel works on both the physical wire and on the frequencies of the wire to route data to appropriate destination points. For example, both ADSL and telephony could be bridged among copper wires, using several independent busses. Home Phone Network Alliance Association (HPNA) standardized data could either be bridged among wires, or connected to an internal switching device, that would store and forward the native Ethernet packets used by HomePNA in a way similar to that done by Ethernet switches today. Additionally, an Ethernet uplink could attach the HPNA ports to a larger network or to a DSL Modem, and HPNA/ADSL could be removed from wires that might have privacy concerns or otherwise need filters to perform properly.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2011Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Thomas Anschutz, Randy Zimler
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Publication number: 20140157335Abstract: A digital residential entertainment system uses a data switch with dedicated ports. Each one of the dedicated ports may receive a different input or route a different output. As different content items are stored within the digital residential entertainment system, each one of the different content items is associated to a different row in a data table. Each different row thus stores data fields that differentiate one content item from another content item.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2014Publication date: June 5, 2014Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: John Alson Hicks, III, Randy Zimler
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Patent number: 8677423Abstract: A digital residential entertainment system is disclosed recording video data of an event. The apparatuses include a processor communicating with memory. The memory stores video data of the event captured by a camera, and the video data includes a series of picture frames of the event. A loop buffer also stores video data of the event captured by the camera. A rule-based engine stored in the memory uses a set of rules to store the contents of the loop buffer in the memory. The apparatus utilizes the loop buffer to provide video data prior to occurrence of the event.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2004Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L. P.Inventors: John Alson Hicks, III, Randy Zimler
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Patent number: 8631439Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for navigating during playback of media content on a content viewing device are provided. A method includes associating a descriptor with a time element. The time element references an instantiation of the descriptor in a content file. The method also includes applying a reference tag that identifies the descriptor to a location on the navigational search structure associated with the content file. The location is determined by the time element. The method further includes displaying the reference tag on the navigational search structure at the content viewing device while viewing the content file in playback mode.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2007Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Matthew Mitchem, Randy Zimler
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Patent number: 8590053Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices secure content in memory. The content includes a lock that prohibits reading the content from memory. Prior to expiration of the lock the content cannot be read from memory. However, a preview option allows at least a portion of the content to be accessed. The preview option provides a preview of the content. At expiration, the content is readable.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2012Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Lloyd T. Whitfield, Jr., Randy Zimler
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Patent number: 8489512Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing electronic media to a customer. One method prompts a customer to license a right to electronic media. If the customer agrees to license the right, then the license is electronically stored on behalf of the customer. The licensed electronic media is communicated to the customer via a communications network.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2011Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: John Hicks, Randy Zimler
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Publication number: 20130157577Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first transmission from a device, the first transmission transmitted at a first frequency. In response to receiving the first transmission, a transceiver is disabled and a second transmission is transmitted to the device, the second transmission transmitted at a second frequency. The method further includes receiving a third transmission from the device, the third transmission transmitted at the second frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Inventors: Randy Zimler, George B. Bolam, James A. Worsham, JR.
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Publication number: 20120260347Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices secure content in memory. The content includes a lock that prohibits reading the content from memory. Prior to expiration of the lock the content cannot be read from memory. At expiration, however, the content is readable.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2012Publication date: October 11, 2012Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.Inventors: Lloyd T. Whitfield, JR., Randy Zimler
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Patent number: 8225410Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices secure content in memory. When the content is received, the content includes a lock that prohibits reading the content from memory. Prior to expiration of the lock the content cannot be read from memory. At expiration, however, the content is then readable.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2005Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L. P.Inventors: Lloyd T. Whitfield, Jr., Randy Zimler
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Patent number: 8171517Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to wirelessly download media content to a media device of a vehicle from a point in the media content where a gateway previously stopped downloading the media content to the vehicle media device, where the server is in a reconfigurable master-slave relationship with the gateway, where the server and the gateway are remote from each other and remote from the vehicle, and where the gateway is associated with the vehicle. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2008Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: John Alson Hicks, III, Randy Zimler
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Patent number: 8115797Abstract: Systems, methods, and a storage medium for peer-to-peer video calling between first and second devices is provided. The method includes determining a predetermined data communication rate by querying a communication network operably associated with the first and second devices. The method further includes transmitting video calling data from the first device through the communication network to the second device at substantially the predetermined data communication rate.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2008Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: William Whited, Randy Zimler
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Publication number: 20120023023Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing electronic media to a customer. One method prompts a customer to license a right to electronic media. If the customer agrees to license the right, then the license is electronically stored on behalf of the customer. The licensed electronic media is communicated to the customer via a communications network.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2011Publication date: January 26, 2012Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.Inventors: John Hicks, Randy Zimler
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Patent number: 8060557Abstract: Application services gateways that execute electronic application programs/services allows the application programs/services to be managed and administered out of a network rather than locally. The application services gateways are elements in a services delivery system that execute application programs/services that control or otherwise interact with systems and devices of a home or business such as a heating and cooling system or a security system. The application services gateways have a LAN connection to a communication gateway that in turn communicates over a WAN to a remote services gateway. The remote services gateway channels data from a remote service platform to provide application programs/services and management services over the WAN to the communications gateway where it is then channeled to the application services gateways.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2007Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LPInventors: John A. Hicks, III, Randy Zimler, Mustafa S. Bilsel
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Patent number: 8046303Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing electronic media to a customer. One method prompts a customer to license a right to electronic media. If the customer agrees to license the right, then the license is electronically stored on behalf of the customer. The licensed electronic media is communicated to the customer via a communications network.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2010Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: John Hicks, Randy Zimler
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Patent number: 7933970Abstract: Different communications devices, different communications networks, and/or different users are used to generate, enable, and/or manage an API tool set for providing services through a residential communications gateway. The actual physical location of the service and the manner in which it operates are transparent to the user.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2009Date of Patent: April 26, 2011Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L. P.Inventors: Randy Zimler, Al Hicks
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Publication number: 20100287480Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to determine a common user interface to be presented by a group of media devices of a premises where the group of media devices are capable of receiving media content from the server over a power line of the premises and are capable of presenting the media content, detect user interaction with the common user interface from different media devices of the group of media devices, and transmit display signals to the group of media devices for displaying the user interaction on the common user interface, where the display signals differentiate the different media devices that received the user interaction. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2009Publication date: November 11, 2010Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.Inventors: John Alson Hicks, III, Randy Zimler
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Publication number: 20100217689Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing electronic media to a customer. One method prompts a customer to license a right to electronic media. If the customer agrees to license the right, then the license is electronically stored on behalf of the customer. The licensed electronic media is communicated to the customer via a communications network.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2010Publication date: August 26, 2010Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. f/k/a BellSouth Intellectual Property CorporationInventors: John Hicks, Randy Zimler
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Publication number: 20100154008Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to wirelessly download media content to a media device of a vehicle from a point in the media content where a gateway previously stopped downloading the media content to the vehicle media device, where the server is in a reconfigurable master-slave relationship with the gateway, where the server and the gateway are remote from each other and remote from the vehicle, and where the gateway is associated with the vehicle. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2008Publication date: June 17, 2010Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.Inventors: John Alson Hicks, III, Randy Zimler