Patents Assigned to Cox Communications
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMBINING VARIABLE BIT RATE DATA STREAMS
    Publication number: 20130003800
    Abstract: Systems and methods for combining variable bit rate data streams are provided. A plurality of data streams may be identified by a service provider system that includes one or more computers. Each data stream may be a variable bit rate data stream. Based upon an analysis of the respective variable bit rates, the service provider system may determine a subset of the plurality of data streams to be combined. The subset of data streams may then be combined and output by the service provider system for transmission to one or more consumer devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Finkelstein, Sung-eun Kim, Benny K. Bing
  • Television terminal modem
    Patent number: 8347345
    Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus and methods for a television terminal with a modem. The television terminal may be a set top terminal for use with a cable television program delivery system. The modem may be integral to the terminal or may be provided as a hardware upgrade unit or expansion card connected to the terminal to modularly enhance the functionality of the terminal. The modem enables the terminal to communicate with interactive services and on-line databases, including services and databases outside of the television program delivery system. The services and databases may provide home shopping, airline reservations, news, financial information, classified advertisements, home banking, and/or interactive teletext.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Hendricks, Alfred E. Bonner, Richard E. Wunderlich, Eric C. Berkobin
  • Systems and Methods for Combining User Profiles
    Publication number: 20120324550
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for combining user profiles. According to an example embodiment, a method is provided for refining group content choices. The method includes identifying that at least two users are accessing media content on a same device, wherein each of the at least two users is associated with a different set of profile attributes; generating a spliced user profile having spliced profile attributes based at least in part on at least a portion of the set of profile attributes associated with at least one of the at least two users; determining at least one content recommendation based on the spliced profile attributes; and delivering the at least one content recommendation over a content distribution channel to the at least two users on the media device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Louise Mary Wasilewski
  • Generating a personalized video mosaic in a cable services network
    Patent number: 8332889
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for generating a personalized video mosaic from multiple of video sources in a cable television services system. A head end receives a subscriber selection of video sources from multiple video sources broadcast in the television services system and generates a personalized video mosaic from those sources. The head end then transmits the personalized video mosaic to the subscriber for simultaneous viewing of the selected video sources on a broadcast channel in the cable television services system. The set-top box executes an application program enabling the subscriber to individually select the video sources which make up the personalized video mosaic and transmits the selections to the head end. The set-top box enables the display of the personalized video mosaic on the broadcast channel in the cable television services network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Steve Calzone
  • Systems and Methods of Mapped Network Address Translation
    Publication number: 20120297089
    Abstract: A private customer IP address is mapped to a public NAT address using a repeatable, reversible algorithm. A given private IP address must always map to the same public IP address and a fixed range of source ports. In the mapped address translation (MAT) implementation, private IP addresses are mapped to public IP/port ranges by borrowing bits from the 16 bit port number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Matthew Edwin Carothers
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASSIGNING A CUSTOMER DEVICE TO A GROUP OF CUSTOMER DEVICES FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF BROADBAND DATA SIGNALS
    Publication number: 20120288067
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for assigning a customer device to a group of customer devices for the transmission of broadband data signals. A communications signal output by a customer device associated with a customer of the service provider may be received by a service provider system. The service provider system may be associated with the service provider, and the service provider system may include one or more computers. The received communications signal may be processed by the service provider system to determine a linear impairment associated with the customer device. Based at least in part on the linear impairment, a frequency range at which communications will be output by the service provider system for receipt by the customer device may be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Jeffrey L. Finkelstein
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASSIGNING CUSTOMERS TO GROUPS FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF BROADBAND DATA SIGNALS
    Publication number: 20120287796
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for assigning customers to groups for the transmission of broadband data signals. Respective linear impairment information for a plurality of customers of a service provider may be determined. Based at least in part upon an analysis of the determined linear impairment information, each of the plurality of customers may be assigned to one of a plurality of groups. The customers assigned to each of the plurality of groups are associated with similar linear impairments. Additionally, for each of the plurality of groups, one or more frequencies at which communications will be output by the service provider for receipt by the customers assigned to the respective group may be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Jeffrey L. Finkelstein
  • Personalized Recordings Including Bookmarks
    Publication number: 20120275762
    Abstract: Personalized recordings may be provided. A first request to record an asset may be received. The first request may be associated with a first user and may include at least one first option. Next, a second request to record the asset may be received. The second request may be associated with a second user and may include at least one second option. Then the asset may be recorded consistent with the at least one first option and the least one second option. Next, a “my recordings list” associated with the first user may be displayed. In response to the displayed “my recordings” list associated with the first user, a request to play the asset may then be received. Next, in response to the received request to play the asset, the asset may be played consistent with the at least one first option.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Lisa A. Pickelsimer, Yousef Wasef Nijim, Anant Patil
  • Multiple Recording Devices Connected in a Home Network
    Publication number: 20120278846
    Abstract: Multiple device recording may be provided. First, a recording device may be added to a network. Next, in response to adding the recording device to the network, recording device attribute data and recording device metadata may be received from the recording device. The received recording device metadata may then be translated. Then, using the translated metadata, asset data corresponding to assets on the recording device may be displayed. The asset data may be displayed in such a way to indicate which assets on the recording device are supported and which assets on the recording device are not supported.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Yousef Wasef Nijim, Lisa A. Pickelsimer, Anant Patil, Jay Paul Langa
  • Distribution of content in an information distribution system
    Patent number: 8302144
    Abstract: A network personal video recorder (nPvR) supporting PVR functionality in a server-centric environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: David Birks, Michael E. Leimer
  • Gateway configuration updating
    Patent number: 8300549
    Abstract: The configuration of a gateway in a communications network may be updated. Provisioning data may be extracted from a gateway management server. The extracted provisioning data may be filtered against a list of target gateways. Upon determining an equipping status of endpoints associated with the target gateways in the list, the configuration of one or more target gateways may be updated utilizing existing endpoint provisioning associated with the one or more target gateways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Brett Anwar Brock
  • Mitigating network impairments
    Patent number: 8295167
    Abstract: An edge device for controlling provisioning of data streams to a network includes a primary channel for receiving a primary stream and a secondary channel for receiving a secondary stream. A scheduler selects between the primary stream and the secondary stream. Timers quantify an elapsed time between a triggering event and a previous switch by the scheduler from the secondary stream to the primary stream and quantify a wait time. When the primary stream does not meet the predetermined criteria and the secondary stream does meet the predetermined criteria, the scheduler switches to the secondary stream. The scheduler and switches back to the primary stream after an exponentially increasing wait time has elapsed and the primary stream meets the predetermined criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Mazen Khaddam
  • System and method for providing access to interactive features of electronic program guides from within promotional programming
    Patent number: 8296800
    Abstract: The system and method of the present invention provides access to interactive features of an electronic program guide by a user from within a broadcast advertisement. The method of the present invention comprises receiving the broadcast advertisement comprising audio, video and promotional metadata over a broadcast distribution network. The received promotional metadata is analyzed to determine one or more valid electronic program guide features and present options on a display device corresponding to the one or more valid electronic program guide features. The user selects a presented option for execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis D. Palazzo, Bruce Plotnick, Joel I. Boyarski
  • Systems and Methods of Automatically Remediating Fault Conditions
    Publication number: 20120265872
    Abstract: Example embodiments of the systems and methods of automatically remediating fault conditions disclosed herein retrieve information from the hardware, apply algorithms around that reading, and identify solutions that can correct the condition automatically. These systems and methods reduce the need for human intervention and provide a self-correcting procedure to the hardware itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: James Chilton
  • Creating Client-Based Playlists with Scheduling Functionality
    Publication number: 20120260286
    Abstract: Content scheduling may be provided. First, a media guide may be displayed. Next, a plurality of asset selection input data respectively corresponding to a plurality of assets selected from the displayed media guide may be received. Then the plurality of asset selection input data may be stored in a playlist database. The playlist database may then be executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Alan Rothschild, Rachel Snow, Frank Dwornicki
  • Systems and Methods for Routing Broadband Communications
    Publication number: 20120250504
    Abstract: Systems and methods for routing broadband communications are provided. Downstream data to be communicated from a cable service provider head end system to a customer device may be received by a provider edge routing device. The downstream data may be mapped by the provider edge routing device to a physical address associated with the customer device, and the downstream data may be output by the provider edge routing device for communication to the customer device. A provider edge device separate from the provider edge routing device may receive the output downstream data. Based at least in part upon the physical address, the provider edge device may determine a port for outputting the downstream data, and the provider edge device may output the downstream data on the determined port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Jeff Finkelstein
  • Television terminal data storage
    Patent number: 8276183
    Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus and methods for a television terminal with data storage. The television terminal may be a set top terminal for use with a cable television program delivery system. The data storage may be integral to the terminal or may be provided as a hardware upgrade unit or expansion card connected to the terminal to modularly enhance the functionality of the terminal. The data storage may be in the form of a disc, such as a compact disc storage device or a CD-ROM. The data stored on the storage device may relate to games, education, encyclopedias, reference, or economics. The television terminal may additionally include a microprocessor that is programmed to react to information within a television signal to access the data stored on the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Hendricks, Alfred E. Bonner, Richard E. Wunderlich, Eric C. Berkobin
  • Service soft-disconnect reconnection
    Patent number: 8271383
    Abstract: A service soft disconnection may be provided. First, a first user interface screen may be provided: i) in response to determining that a payment has not been received for a service after a date for which an account holder responsible for the service has been sent a disconnection notice; and ii) in response to receiving a user initiated request for the service. Next, identification data may be received in response to the provided first user interface screen. Then the identification data may be determined to be valid. In response to determining that the identification data is valid, a second user interface screen may be provided. Payment data may then be received in response to the provided second user interface screen. Consequently, the payment data may be determined to be valid and the service may be reinstated in response to determining that the payment data is valid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: John Kelly King
  • System, Method and Device for Presenting Different Functional Displays When Orientation of the Device Changes
    Publication number: 20120229370
    Abstract: Different functional views for a mobile device are provided depending on orientation of the device. The mobile device includes an enclosure and a display disposed within the enclosure, wherein the display presents a functional view to a user when the device is positioned in a first orientation and a second functional view when the display is rotated to a second orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Philip John Stroffolino, Terry Douglas Lee
  • Mobile communications device with handle members
    Patent number: D670673
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Pujan K. Roka