Patents by Inventor Darren Wetzel

Darren Wetzel 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: 20080172690
    Abstract: Idle video-on-demand (VOD) and/or other streaming media channel capacity is used to deliver promotional content to selected set-top boxes (STBs) in a cable television network. Commercial segment cues are used to instruct a set-top box to switch away from a broadcast program to the streaming media channel during a commercial segment, and then switch back again to the original broadcast program at the end of the segment. More particularly, a promotion server determines an asset to be distributed such as a targeted promotion item (e.g., a commercial), and a list of STBs that are to receive it. The promotion server causes the video promotion content to be stored in VOD/streaming media servers located at the head ends. A scheduler process then delivers schedule messages to head end message servers which identify each promotion asset, and an STB which is to receive it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Inventors: Chaitanya Kanojia, Terri Swartz, Darren Wetzel, Mark Fagnani
  • Patent number: 7237250
    Abstract: Idle Video-On-Demand (VOD) channel capacity is used to deliver promotional content to selected set-top boxes (STBs) in a cable television network. Commercial segment cues are used to instruct a set-top box to switch away from a broadcast program to the VOD channel during a commercial segment, and then switch back again to the original broadcast program at the end of the segment. More particularly, a promotion server determines an asset to be distributed such as a targeted promotion item (e.g., a commercial), and a list of STBs that are to receive it. The promotion server causes the video promotion content to be stored in VOD servers located at the head ends. A scheduler process then delivers schedule messages to head end message servers which identify each promotion asset, and an STB which is to receive it. The head end message server notifies its associated VOD server which then cues the asset by loading the asset, starting the asset, but pausing it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Navic Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Kanojia, Terri Swartz, Darren Wetzel, Mark Fagnani
  • Publication number: 20020066106
    Abstract: Idle Video-On-Demand (VOD) channel capacity is used to deliver promotional content to selected set-top boxes (STBs) in a cable television network. Commercial segment cues are used to instruct a set-top box to switch away from a broadcast program to the VOD channel during a commercial segment, and then switch back again to the original broadcast program at the end of the segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: Navic Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Kanojia, Terri Swartz, Darren Wetzel, Mark Fagnani