Patents by Inventor Brad A. Medford

Brad A. Medford 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: 20080306962
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a system and method for recording and accessing multimedia data. In a particular embodiment, a method includes determining a first number of requests to record specific multimedia content at a first server supporting a multimedia content distribution service. The first server may be configured to transmit multimedia data to multiple customer premises equipment (CPE). The method may also include recording the specific multimedia content at a second server when the first number of requests is greater than or equal to a threshold. The second server may be configured to transmit the multimedia data to the first server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, LP
    Inventors: Michael Grannan, Brad Medford
  • Publication number: 20080229356
    Abstract: There are provided a method, a system and machine-readable medium for encoding a video broadcast. The method includes obtaining one or more first compression settings for the video broadcast from an electronic program guide (EPG), the EPG associating the video broadcast with the one or more first compression settings. The method further includes compressing the video broadcast using the one or more first compression settings into a distribution broadcast. Yet further, the method includes distributing the distribution broadcast. There is also provided a method, system and machine readable medium to provide compression settings for encoding a video broadcast. The method includes inserting one or more compression settings into an electronic program guide (EPG) in association with the video broadcast based on a content type of the video broadcast. The method further includes distributing the EPG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Dinesh Nadarajah, Brad A. Medford
  • Publication number: 20080107392
    Abstract: Provided are a method and a system for recording a video broadcast using a video recording device. A scheduling update is obtained for the video broadcast over a network. A recording schedule is updated for the video broadcast in response to the obtained scheduling update. The video broadcast is recorded according to the updated recording schedule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventors: Michael F. Grannan, Brad A. Medford
  • Publication number: 20070261083
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing direct broadcast satellite (DBS) and digital subscriber line (DSL) video services to multiple display devices are disclosed. Generally the disclosed system receives a plurality of DBS channels and DSL content. The system receives a first user-initiated video selection and generates a first television signal based on the first user-initiated video selection. The first television signal combines video from at least one DBS channel and video from DSL content for simultaneously displaying at least a portion of the video from at least one DBS channel and at least a portion of the video from the DSL content on a display device. The first television signal is then transmitted to a first display device. Additionally, the system receives a second user-initiated video selection, generates a second television signal based on the second user-initiated video selection, and transmits the second television signal to a second display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Inventors: Ahmad Ansari, Brad Medford, Russell White, David Hartman
  • Publication number: 20070256111
    Abstract: A method and system for multicasting video signals over a network. A standard definition (SD) picture-in-picture (PIP) multicast video signal is encoded from a video signal. A common network address is assigned to the SD PIP multicast video signal for both SD PIP video content and high definition (HD) video content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Brad Medford, Dinesh Nadarajah
  • Publication number: 20070250754
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of correcting video data errors. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a plurality of Internet Protocol (IP) video data packets at a generator of a video acquisition system. The method also includes calculating a first error correction code corresponding to a first error profile and generating a first forward error correction (FEC) packet to produce the first error correction code. The method also includes calculating a second error correction code corresponding to a second error profile and generating a second FEC packet to produce the second error correction code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, LP
    Inventors: Pierre Costa, Ahmad Ansari, David Hartman, Brad Medford
  • Publication number: 20070192789
    Abstract: In a particular embodiment a method is disclosed for inserting data objects into a video stream. The method encrypts a first portion of the video stream at a server, suspends encryption of a second portion of the video stream, and sends the first and second portions of the video stream to a client device for insertion of the object into the video stream. In another embodiment a system is disclosed for inserting data objects into a video stream. The system encrypts a first portion of the video stream at a server, suspends encryption of a second portion of the video stream, and sends the first and second portions of the video stream to a client device for insertion of the object into the video stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures L.P.
    Inventor: Brad Medford
  • Publication number: 20070174875
    Abstract: A system and method of processing a satellite signal is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a satellite signal at a receiver, where the satellite signal includes a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) portion and a radio frequency (RF) portion. The method also includes decoding the satellite signal to produce a digital MPEG transport stream signal that includes the MPEG portion, by removing the RF portion from the satellite signal without substantially altering the MPEG portion. The method also includes transmitting the digital MPEG transport stream signal to a vestigial sideband (VSB) modulator, where the VSB modulator transmodulates the digital MPEG transport stream signal to a VSB signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventors: Brad Medford, Ahmad Ansari, Dinesh Nadarajah
  • Publication number: 20070147495
    Abstract: A single compression engine transmits first and second discrete cosine transform (DCT)-encoded signals. The first DCT-encoded signal uses at most t coefficient bits to represent each of a plurality of DCT coefficients. The second DCT-encoded signal uses at most u coefficient bits, where u is less than t, to represent each of the plurality of DCT coefficients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: Brad Medford, Ahmed Ansari, Pierre Costa, John Erickson
  • Publication number: 20070089145
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method to deliver video data. The method can include selectively transmitting a low data rate video stream to at least one display device. The method can also include generating a mirror video stream that is derived from the low data rate video stream, where the mirror video stream has a data rate compatible with at least one wireless network. The method can also include selectively transmitting the mirror video stream to at least one wireless device via the at least one wireless network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventors: Brad Medford, David Deas, David Wolter
  • Publication number: 20070004377
    Abstract: A system and method for providing Emergency Alert System (EAS) notifications over Internet Protocol (IP) delivery platforms, including a proxy server coupled to an emergency alert system receiver, a subscriber management database coupled to the proxy server, and an instant messaging server coupled to the proxy server and to the subscriber management server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Brad Medford, Kevin Walker, Robert Hill, Thomas Webster
  • Publication number: 20060242674
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed to broadcast advanced television system committee (ATSC) video in switched digital video (SDV) systems. An example SDV broadcast method includes de-multiplexing at least one program stream from at least one of a plurality of multiple program transport streams (MPTSs), and connecting at least one program stream to a SDV broadcast engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Brad Medford, Debra Phillips, Vernon Reed
  • Publication number: 20060242683
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed to manage program streams in broadcast switched digital video (SDV) systems. An example method includes receiving a plurality of motion picture experts group (MPEG) multiple program transport streams (MPTSs) that contain a plurality of program streams; selecting a subset of the plurality of program streams to provide a line-up of program streams; and broadcasting the selected subset of program streams in the SDV system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Brad Medford, Debra Phillips, Vernon Reed
  • Publication number: 20050201384
    Abstract: An Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) signal is phase modulated based on an Internet Protocol (IP) signal to form a combined ATM/IP signal. The ATM signal is phase modulated without exceeding a specified tolerance of symbol period of the ATM signal. The combined ATM/IP signal is communicated on a passive optical network to multiple receiving locations. An ATM stream specific to a receiving location can be extracted from the combined ATM/IP signal by an existing ATM-based optical network termination (ONT). An IP stream can be extracted at a receiving location by phase demodulating the combined ATM/IP signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Inventor: Brad Medford
  • Publication number: 20040006772
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of remote control devices is to receive a user-initiated video selection of any of a plurality of channels. Each of a plurality of video processing modules is responsive to a corresponding one of the remote control devices to request a channel based on the user-initiated video selection. A distribution module simultaneously receives all channels requested by the video processing modules and distributes the channels to those of the video processing modules requesting same. Each of a plurality of modulators is to generate a television signal based on the channel requested by an associated video processing module. A network interface is in communication with a modem to provide a data networking signal. Each of a plurality of combiners combines the television signal from a modulator with the data networking signal to form a corresponding combined television and data networking signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventors: Ahmad Ansari, Pierre Costa, Brad A. Medford