Patents by Inventor Dean Osborne

Dean Osborne 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).

  • Methods and apparatus that facilitate channel switching during commercial breaks and/or other program segments
    Patent number: 11134304
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus that facilitate watching of programming content on a secondary channel during a program segment, e.g., commercial break or program portion which is not of interest to a user, on a primary channel are described. In various embodiments when a user switches to a secondary channel during a program segment, the switch is detected and the program on the primary channel continues to be received and buffered while the content from the secondary channel is output to the display. The program segment on the primary channel may be a commercial break including one or more commercials or a portion of a program identified as a segment in information communicated with the program or via out of band signaling. The end of the segment on the primary channel is detected and the user is notified or automatically switched back to the primary channel at the end of the segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
    Inventors: Eric D. Hybertson, Dean Osborne, Charles Hasek
  • Addressing and locating in-line coaxial cable devices within customer premises in cable-based networks
    Patent number: 10097901
    Abstract: An exemplary apparatus for use in a cable-based network includes passive circuitry coupled with an input of the apparatus and configured to generate an output signal having frequency response characteristics controlled as a function of a value of at least one component in the passive circuitry. The apparatus further includes active circuitry coupled with the input of the apparatus. The active circuitry is configured to generate a message signal indicative of a presence of the apparatus in the cable-based network in response to an interrogation signal supplied to the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC
    Inventors: Roger Stafford, Dean Osborne
  • ADDRESSING AND LOCATING IN-LINE COAXIAL CABLE DEVICES WITHIN CUSTOMER PREMISES IN CABLE-BASED NETWORKS
    Publication number: 20170201804
    Abstract: An exemplary apparatus for use in a cable-based network includes passive circuitry coupled with an input of the apparatus and configured to generate an output signal having frequency response characteristics controlled as a function of a value of at least one component in the passive circuitry. The apparatus further includes active circuitry coupled with the input of the apparatus. The active circuitry is configured to generate a message signal indicative of a presence of the apparatus in the cable-based network in response to an interrogation signal supplied to the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Roger Stafford, Dean Osborne
  • Addressing and locating in-line coaxial cable devices within customer premises in cable-based networks
    Patent number: 9699507
    Abstract: An exemplary apparatus for use in a cable-based network includes passive circuitry coupled with an input of the apparatus and configured to generate an output signal having frequency response characteristics controlled as a function of a value of at least one component in the passive circuitry. The apparatus further includes active circuitry coupled with the input of the apparatus. The active circuitry is configured to generate a message signal indicative of a presence of the apparatus in the cable-based network in response to an interrogation signal supplied to the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTRPRISES LLC
    Inventors: Roger Stafford, Dean Osborne
  • ADDRESSING AND LOCATING IN-LINE COAXIAL CABLE DEVICES WITHIN CUSTOMER PREMISES IN CABLE-BASED NETWORKS
    Publication number: 20160205435
    Abstract: An exemplary apparatus for use in a cable-based network includes passive circuitry coupled with an input of the apparatus and configured to generate an output signal having frequency response characteristics controlled as a function of a value of at least one component in the passive circuitry. The apparatus further includes active circuitry coupled with the input of the apparatus. The active circuitry is configured to generate a message signal indicative of a presence of the apparatus in the cable-based network in response to an interrogation signal supplied to the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Roger Stafford, Dean Osborne
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS THAT FACILITATE CHANNEL SWITCHING DURING COMMERCIAL BREAKS AND/OR OTHER PROGRAM SEGMENTS
    Publication number: 20150040176
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus that facilitate watching of programming content on a secondary channel during a program segment, e.g., commercial break or program portion which is not of interest to a user, on a primary channel are described. In various embodiments when a user switches to a secondary channel during a program segment, the switch is detected and the program on the primary channel continues to be received and buffered while the content from the secondary channel is output to the display. The program segment on the primary channel may be a commercial break including one or more commercials or a portion of a program identified as a segment in information communicated with the program or via out of band signaling. The end of the segment on the primary channel is detected and the user is notified or automatically switched back to the primary channel at the end of the segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
    Inventors: Eric D. Hybertson, Dean Osborne, Charles Hasek