Patents by Inventor Chris Bastian

Chris Bastian 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: 20240137613
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for tailoring related episode content within an episode, thereby improving a user's experience. In response to receiving a request for an episode, several factors may be considered when determining how much of the related episode content to provide. These factors may include information such as whether the user has already viewed a previous episode, the elapsed time since viewing the previous episode and a user preference. Related episode content may be modified to remove portions previously viewed by a user, depending on factors such as the elapsed time and a user preference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Ross Gilson, Michael Sallas, Chris Bastian, Slade Mitchell, Amit Garg, John Leddy
  • Publication number: 20230306464
    Abstract: Aspects discussed herein relate to systems, apparatuses, and methods to determine when a user remains engaged or stops paying attention to a content item. In response, a snapshot of the user's activity and environment may be obtained to ascertain the reason the user stopped paying attention. If the user stopped paying attention as a result of being uninterested in the content item, the system may replace the content item, such as an advertisement, with a different content item to regain the user's attention. Further, demographic information and the user's interests may be updated for use in scheduling future content items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Sallas, Ross Gilson, Chris Bastian, Slade Mitchell, Amit Garg, John Leddy
  • Patent number: 11750886
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for tailoring related episode content within an episode, thereby improving a user's experience. In response to receiving a request for an episode, several factors may be considered when determining how much of the related episode content to provide. These factors may include information such as whether the user has already viewed a previous episode, the elapsed time since viewing the previous episode and a user preference. Related episode content may be modified to remove portions previously viewed by a user, depending on factors such as the elapsed time and a user preference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Gilson, Michael Sallas, Chris Bastian, Slade Mitchell, Amit Garg, John Leddy
  • Patent number: 11551262
    Abstract: Aspects discussed herein relate to systems, apparatuses, and methods to determine when a user remains engaged or stops paying attention to a content item. In response, a snapshot of the user's activity and environment may be obtained to ascertain the reason the user stopped paying attention. If the user stopped paying attention as a result of being uninterested in the content item, the system may replace the content item, such as an advertisement, with a different content item to regain the user's attention. Further, demographic information and the user's interests may be updated for use in scheduling future content items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Sallas, Ross Gilson, Chris Bastian, Slade Mitchell, Amit Garg, John Leddy
  • Publication number: 20210192569
    Abstract: Aspects discussed herein relate to systems, apparatuses, and methods to determine when a user remains engaged or stops paying attention to a content item. In response, a snapshot of the user's activity and environment may be obtained to ascertain the reason the user stopped paying attention. If the user stopped paying attention as a result of being uninterested in the content item, the system may replace the content item, such as an advertisement, with a different content item to regain the user's attention. Further, demographic information and the user's interests may be updated for use in scheduling future content items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Sallas, Ross Gilson, Chris Bastian, Slade Mitchell, Amit Garg, John Leddy
  • Patent number: 10776823
    Abstract: Aspects discussed herein relate to systems, apparatuses, and methods to determine when a user remains engaged or stops paying attention to a content item. In response, a snapshot of the user's activity and environment may be obtained to ascertain the reason the user stopped paying attention. If the user stopped paying attention as a result of being uninterested in the content item, the system may replace the content item, such as an advertisement, with a different content item to regain the user's attention. Further, demographic information and the user's interests may be updated for use in scheduling future content items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Sallas, Ross Gilson, Chris Bastian, Slade Mitchell, Amit Garg, John Leddy
  • Publication number: 20200036606
    Abstract: Information from multiple sources can be communicated to a policy server. Based on that information, the policy server can determine allocation of bandwidth, transmission priority and/or other network resources based on preferences and/or service selections provided by a subscriber and communicate information about those determinations to other network elements for policy implementation. The information provided to a policy server for determining network resource allocation can include information about one or more applications executing at a customer equipment device, information about access network bandwidth usage, information about services for which one or more devices is authorized, and/or information about network conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Richard M. Woundy, Chris Bastian
  • Patent number: 10263860
    Abstract: Information from multiple sources can be communicated to a policy server. Based on that information, the policy server can determine allocation of bandwidth, transmission priority and/or other network resources based on preferences and/or service selections provided by a subscriber and communicate information about those determinations to other network elements for policy implementation. The information provided to a policy server for determining network resource allocation can include information about one or more applications executing at a customer equipment device, information about access network bandwidth usage, information about services for which one or more devices is authorized, and/or information about network conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Woundy, Chris Bastian
  • Patent number: 9935871
    Abstract: According to some aspects as described herein, a user may purchase or otherwise be provided with an accelerated service for selected software applications, devices, and/or ports to experience a high level of communication. The accelerated service may be created, for example, by using a dedicated network data flow such that the user's customer premise equipment (CPE) network access device may put priority traffic in a different upstream data flow than the commonly shared flow, which may involve tagging the traffic upstream to the network with a priority indicator such as a flow identifier. Based on similar factors, the user may also control local priority of data received downstream from the network for distribution to one or more local devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Bastian, Sam Chernak, Daniel Herscovici, Bryan Witkowski
  • Publication number: 20170228774
    Abstract: Aspects discussed herein relate to systems, apparatuses, and methods to determine when a user remains engaged or stops paying attention to a content item. In response, a snapshot of the user's activity and environment may be obtained to ascertain the reason the user stopped paying attention. If the user stopped paying attention as a result of being uninterested in the content item, the system may replace the content item, such as an advertisement, with a different content item to regain the user's attention. Further, demographic information and the user's interests may be updated for use in scheduling future content items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Sallas, Ross Gilson, Chris Bastian, Slade Mitchell, Amit Garg, John Leddy
  • Publication number: 20160173941
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for tailoring related episode content within an episode, thereby improving a user's experience. In response to receiving a request for an episode, several factors may be considered when determining how much of the related episode content to provide. These factors may include information such as whether the user has already viewed a previous episode, the elapsed time since viewing the previous episode and a user preference. Related episode content may be modified to remove portions previously viewed by a user, depending on factors such as the elapsed time and a user preference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Ross Gilson, Michael Sallas, Chris Bastian, Slade Mitchell, Amit Garg, John Leddy
  • Patent number: 9118496
    Abstract: A subscriber network architecture includes a packet processing node that communicates with a network backbone and with a plurality of access nodes. The access nodes also communicate with a plurality of subscriber devices. The packet processing node controls Quality of Service (QoS) levels for the subscriber devices, routes user data to subscriber devices based on downstream communication channels of the access nodes and QoS levels, and receives data from subscriber devices (via the access nodes) for forwarding across the network backbone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Jorge Daniel Salinger, Sam Chernak, Chris Bastian, David Urban, Vik Saxena
  • Publication number: 20150229561
    Abstract: According to some aspects as described herein, a user may purchase or otherwise be provided with an accelerated service for selected software applications, devices, and/or ports to experience a high level of communication. The accelerated service may be created, for example, by using a dedicated network data flow such that the user's customer premise equipment (CPE) network access device may put priority traffic in a different upstream data flow than the commonly shared flow, which may involve tagging the traffic upstream to the network with a priority indicator such as a flow identifier. Based on similar factors, the user may also control local priority of data received downstream from the network for distribution to one or more local devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Chris Bastian, Sam Chernak, Daniel Herscovici, Bryan Witkowski
  • Patent number: 8972537
    Abstract: According to some aspects as described herein, a user may purchase or otherwise be provided with an accelerated service for selected software applications, devices, and/or ports to experience a high level of communication. The accelerated service may be created, for example, by using a dedicated network data flow such that the user's customer premise equipment (CPE) network access device may put priority traffic in a different upstream data flow than the commonly shared flow, which may involve tagging the traffic upstream to the network with a priority indicator such as a flow identifier. Based on similar factors, the user may also control local priority of data received downstream from the network for distribution to one or more local devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Bastian, Sam Chernak, Daniel Herscovici, Bryan Witkowski
  • Patent number: 8644161
    Abstract: A shared channel used to communicate between a cable modem termination system and multiple cable modems is managed to prevent and/or reduce the impact of congestion. If the average channel utilization is above a near-congestion threshold, a cable modem in an extended high consumption state is assigned a reduced data transmission priority for managed traffic. Priority for that cable modem is restored to a default preferred level when the channel usage by that cable modem drops below a predetermined level or when the average aggregate channel utilization by all cable modems drops below the near-congestion threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Woundy, Jason Livingood, Chris Bastian, Thomas E. Klieber, James Cary Mills, II, Matthew J. Scully, Peter J. Sevcik, John Reed Bartlett
  • Publication number: 20130046863
    Abstract: According to some aspects as described herein, a user may purchase or otherwise be provided with an accelerated service for selected software applications, devices, and/or ports to experience a high level of communication. The accelerated service may be created, for example, by using a dedicated network data flow such that the user's customer premise equipment (CPE) network access device may put priority traffic in a different upstream data flow than the commonly shared flow, which may involve tagging the traffic upstream to the network with a priority indicator such as a flow identifier. Based on similar factors, the user may also control local priority of data received downstream from the network for distribution to one or more local devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Bastian, Sam Chernak, Daniel Herscovici, Bryan Witkowski
  • Publication number: 20120120807
    Abstract: A shared channel used to communicate between a cable modem termination system and multiple cable modems is managed to prevent and/or reduce the impact of congestion. If the average channel utilization is above a near-congestion threshold, a cable modem in an extended high consumption state is assigned a reduced data transmission priority for managed traffic. Priority for that cable modem is restored to a default preferred level when the channel usage by that cable modem drops below a predetermined level or when the average aggregate channel utilization by all cable modems drops below the near-congestion threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Woundy, Jason Livingood, Chris Bastian, Thomas E. Klieber, James Mills, II, Matthew J. Scully, Peter J. Sevcik, John Reed Bartlett
  • Publication number: 20120075997
    Abstract: A subscriber network architecture includes a packet processing node that communicates with a network backbone and with a plurality of access nodes. The access nodes also communicate with a plurality of subscriber devices. The packet processing node controls Quality of Service (QoS) levels for the subscriber devices, routes user data to subscriber devices based on downstream communication channels of the access nodes and QoS levels, and receives data from subscriber devices (via the access nodes) for forwarding across the network backbone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Jorge Salinger, Sam Chernak, Chris Bastian, David Urban, Vik Saxena
  • Patent number: 8144594
    Abstract: A shared channel used to communicate between a cable modem termination system and multiple cable modems is managed to prevent and/or reduce the impact of congestion. If the average channel utilization is above a near-congestion threshold, a cable modem in an extended high consumption state is assigned a reduced data transmission priority for managed traffic. Priority for that cable modem is restored to a default preferred level when the channel usage by that cable modem drops below a predetermined level or when the average aggregate channel utilization by all cable modems drops below the near-congestion threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Woundy, Jason Livingood, Chris Bastian, Thomas E. Klieber, James Cary Mills, II, Matthew J. Scully, Peter J. Sevcik, John Reed Bartlett
  • Patent number: 8094661
    Abstract: A subscriber network architecture includes a packet processing node that communicates with a network backbone and with a plurality of access nodes. The access nodes also communicate with a plurality of subscriber devices. The packet processing node controls Quality of Service (QoS) levels for the subscriber devices, routes user data to subscriber devices based on downstream communication channels of the access nodes and QoS levels, and receives data from subscriber devices (via the access nodes) for forwarding across the network backbone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Jorge Daniel Salinger, Sam Chernak, Chris Bastian, David Urban, Vik Saxena