Patents by Inventor Alistair E Jeffs

Alistair E Jeffs 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: 10827066
    Abstract: A method and system for ordering content includes a voice menu system and a phone device communicating a phone signal to the voice menu system. The voice menu system determines the phone number associated with the phone device through the phone signal and generates a voice prompt for recording a content selection from the voice menu system. The phone device selects a recording content option. The voice menu system generates prompts for determining a content title. The phone device selects a content title by communicating a selection signal to the voice menu system. The voice menu system enables a content recording at a recording device in response to the selection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Alistair E. Jeffs
  • Patent number: 9824389
    Abstract: A system and method includes a first device having an ordering interactive interface having available content. The first device forms a content selection corresponding to the on-demand content from the interactive interface and communicates the content selection to a content processing system. The content processing system communicates a control word to the user device. A user device receives the content corresponding to the selection in response to the control word. The content processing system or the user device generates an email indicative of a completion of storing the content in the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Alistair E. Jeffs
  • Patent number: 9524072
    Abstract: A system and method providing a player specific content includes a user device, a player picker for selecting a plurality of players for different teams to form player selections and a content delivery network receiving the player selections, comparing metadata of stored highlight clips with the player picks and communicating highlight clips corresponding to the player picks to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Feldstein, Alistair E. Jeffs, Mark A. Shurgot, Matthew J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 9131125
    Abstract: A receiving device and method for operating the same includes a tuner tuned to a first channel having a first program, a memory storing program guide data therein and a controller in communication with the tuner and the memory. The controller determines the first channel is a blacked out channel, searches the program data in the memory for a second program equivalent to the first program, determines a second channel associated with the second program and tunes the tuner device to the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Sharkey, Tam T. Leminh, Alistair E. Jeffs, Robert G. Arsenault, Huy Q. Tran, Tommi J. Iten, David Eric Shanks, Eric J. Bennett
  • Patent number: 9032296
    Abstract: A method and system for providing highlight clips to a user device includes the user device having a display with a user interface and a content processing system communicating a plurality of highlight links to the user device. The user device displays the plurality of highlight links on the display and communicates a selection signal to the content processing system. The content processing system communicates a highlight clip corresponding to the selection signal to the user device. The user device displays the content clip in the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Alistair E. Jeffs, David E. Feldstein, Jon M. Dean, Yves S. Lin, David E. Shanks
  • Patent number: 8813139
    Abstract: A method and system for ordering content includes a first device having an ordering interactive interface having available content. The first device forms a content selection corresponding to the available content from the ordering interactive interface and communicates the content selection to a content processing system. The content processing system generates an unencrypted control word comprising instructions for locating the available content from a user device and communicates the unencrypted control word to the user device. The user device receives the unencrypted control word to enable storing the available content corresponding to the content selection in response to the instructions contained in the unencrypted control word and stores the available content in a storage device of the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Alistair E. Jeffs
  • Publication number: 20140181874
    Abstract: A method and system for ordering content includes a first device having an ordering interactive interface having available content. The first device forms a content selection corresponding to the available content from the ordering interactive interface and communicates the content selection to a content processing system. The content processing system generates an unencrypted control word comprising instructions for locating the available content from a user device and communicates the unencrypted control word to the user device. The user device receives the unencrypted control word to enable storing the available content corresponding to the content selection in response to the instructions contained in the unencrypted control word and stores the available content in a storage device of the user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
    Inventor: Alistair E. Jeffs
  • Patent number: 8707361
    Abstract: A method and system includes a first device having an ordering interface and forming a recording command comprising a linear channel, a start time, time duration and date. The first device communicates a customer identifier and the recording command to a content processing system corresponding to the linear content. The content processing system forms a control word from the recording command and communicates the control word to a user device. The user device receives the content corresponding to the recording command in response to the control word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Alistair E Jeffs
  • Patent number: 8701146
    Abstract: A method and system for ordering content includes a mobile device having an ordering interactive interface having available content including linear content and on-demand content. The interactive interface receives a content selection corresponding to the on-demand content from the interactive interface and communicates the selection to a content processing system. The content processing system communicates a control word to the user device. A user device receives the on-demand content corresponding to the selection in response to the control word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Alistair E. Jeffs
  • Publication number: 20140020030
    Abstract: A method and system for ordering content includes a mobile device having an ordering interactive interface having available content including linear content and on-demand content. The interactive interface receives a content selection corresponding to the on-demand content from the interactive interface and communicates the selection to a content processing system. The content processing system communicates a control word to the user device. A user device receives the on-demand content corresponding to the selection in response to the control word.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Alistair E. Jeffs
  • Patent number: 8561114
    Abstract: A method and system for ordering content includes a mobile device having an ordering interactive interface having available content including linear content and on-demand content. The interactive interface receives a content selection corresponding to the on-demand content from the interactive interface and communicates the selection to a content processing system. The content processing system communicates a control word to the user device. A user device receives the on-demand content corresponding to the selection in response to the control word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Alistair E. Jeffs
  • Patent number: 8046802
    Abstract: A method and system for ordering content includes a first device having an ordering interactive interface. The first device identifies a user account. The first device forms a content selection corresponding to the on-demand content from the interactive interface and generates a recording priority status. The first device communicates the content selection and the recording priority status to a content processing system. The content processing system forms a queue for the user account, inserts the content selection in the queue in response to the recording priority and communicates a control word to the user device. A user device receives the content corresponding to the selection in response to the control word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Alistair E Jeffs
  • Publication number: 20100057583
    Abstract: A method and system for ordering content includes a content processing system and a device in communication with the content ordering system. The device displaying a link corresponding to content and accessing a content ordering system by selecting the link. The content processing system enables a content recording request. A user receiving device receives the content associated with the link in response to the content recording request and stores the content in a memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Alistair E. Jeffs, Carl S. Smith, David E. Shanks
  • Publication number: 20100057469
    Abstract: A method and system for ordering content includes a voice menu system and a phone device communicating a phone signal to the voice menu system. The voice menu system determines the phone number associated with the phone device through the phone signal and generates a voice prompt for recording a content selection from the voice menu system. The phone device selects a recording content option. The voice menu system generates prompts for determining a content title. The phone device selects a content title by communicating a selection signal to the voice menu system. The voice menu system enables a content recording at a recording device in response to the selection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Alistair E. Jeffs
  • Publication number: 20090235315
    Abstract: A receiving device and method for operating the same includes a tuner tuned to a first channel having a first program, a memory storing program guide data therein and a controller in communication with the tuner and the memory. The controller determines the first channel is a blacked out channel, searches the program data in the memory for a second program equivalent to the first program, determines a second channel associated with the second program and tunes the tuner device to the second channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Sharkey, Tam T. Leminh, Alistair E. Jeffs, Robert G. Arsenault, Huy Q. Tran, Tommi J. Iten, David Eric Shanks, Eric J. Bennett
  • Publication number: 20090125950
    Abstract: A system and method includes a user device having a subscriber activation client application stored therein. The user device prompts entry of an ordering identifier and receives the ordering identifier through a user interface. A subscriber activation system is in communication with the user device through a secure network. The subscriber activation system receives the ordering identifier from the user device. The subscriber activation system verifies the ordering information and generates an activation signal from the order identifier. The subscriber activation system communicates the activation signal to the user device to activate the user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Kapil Chaudhry, Alistair E. Jeffs, Jennifer S. Staggs, Matthew J. Thompson, Tom Y. Liang, James R. Butterworth, Gilbert Zaldivar, Thai Lam, Amy K. Tsao
  • Publication number: 20090100065
    Abstract: A method and system includes a first device having an ordering interface and forming a recording command comprising a linear channel, a start time, time duration and date. The first device communicates a customer identifier and the recording command to a content processing system corresponding to the linear content. The content processing system forms a control word from the recording command and communicates the control word to a user device. The user device receives the content corresponding to the recording command in response to the control word.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventor: Alistair E. Jeffs
  • Publication number: 20090100477
    Abstract: A method and system for ordering content includes a mobile device having an ordering interactive interface having available content including linear content and on-demand content. The interactive interface receives a content selection corresponding to the on-demand content from the interactive interface and communicates the selection to a content processing system. The content processing system communicates a control word to the user device. A user device receives the on-demand content corresponding to the selection in response to the control word.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventor: Alistair E. Jeffs
  • Publication number: 20090099858
    Abstract: A method and system for ordering content includes a first device having an ordering interactive interface having available content and a first user device identifier and a second user device identifier. The first device forms a content selection corresponding to the on-demand content from the interactive interface and a user device selection corresponding to the first user device or the second user device. The first device communicates the content selection and the user device selection to a content processing system. The content processing system communicates a control word to the user device corresponding to the content selection and the user device selection. A user device receives the content corresponding to the selection in response to the control word and the user device selection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventor: Alistair E. Jeffs
  • Publication number: 20090099912
    Abstract: A system and method includes a first device having an ordering interactive interface having available content. The first device forms a content selection corresponding to the on-demand content from the interactive interface and communicates the content selection to a content processing system. The content processing system communicates a control word to the user device. A user device receives the content corresponding to the selection in response to the control word. The content processing system or the user device generates an email indicative of a completion of storing the content in the user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventor: Alistair E. Jeffs