Patents by Inventor Donald F. Gordon
Donald F. Gordon 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).
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Publication number: 20140123189Abstract: A program guide in which a video layer includes a plurality of video objects including title objects, each title object having associated with it a channel and at least one time slot, the video layer being formed in response to a received video stream; and a graphics layer comprising a plurality of graphics objects including title overlay objects, each of the title overlay objects selectively imparting at least a visual de-emphasis to a respective title object in the video layer, the visual de-emphasis being imparted to title objects not being associated with a desired time slot.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2013Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: COMCAST IP HOLDINGS I, LLCInventors: Donald F. Gordon, Edward A. Ludvig, Nathan W. Osborn, Jeremy S. Edmonds
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Patent number: 8661465Abstract: A terminal for decoding and presenting encoded realtime and non-realtime interactive program guide (IPG) content including a realtime video portion and a non-realtime guide graphics portion. The terminal includes a demodulator operative to receive and demodulate a modulated signal to provide a transport stream, and a transport demultiplexer coupled to the demodulator and operative to receive and process the transport stream to provide a sequence of transport packets re-timestamped to synchronize encoded realtime content and encoded non-realtime content included therein. At least one video decoder is coupled to the transport demultiplexer and operative to receive and decode the encoded realtime and non-realtime contents to recover the realtime and non-realtime contents for the user interface.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2010Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I, LLCInventors: Donald F. Gordon, Sadik Bayrakeri, Edward A. Ludvig, Eugene Gershtein, Jeremy S. Edmonds, John P. Comito
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Patent number: 8578419Abstract: Techniques to create, generate, and deliver customized interactive program guide (custom-IPG). In one embodiment, selections indicative of a set of channels to be included in the custom-IPG are received. In response, one or more custom-IPG screens including the set of selected channels are rendered at a headend. Custom-IPG screens can be formed as subsets of the regular IPG screens, or as new screens. The rendered custom-IPG screens are provided from the head end to a set top terminal upon receiving a viewer request for the custom-IPG. Commands indicative of a particular location at which to overlay the custom-IPG screens may also be received, and the custom-IPG screens are re-rendered at the indicated location. Custom-IPG screens can be overlaid on a video sequence provided on a particular channel being viewed, used to carry regular program guide, or a channel independent of the channel used to carry regular programming and program guide.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2005Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I, LLCInventors: Sadik Bayrakeri, Donald F. Gordon, John P. Comito, Edward A. Ludvig, Harold P. Yocom, Jeremy S. Edmonds, Eugene Gershtein
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Patent number: 8522277Abstract: A user interface for an interactive information distribution system comprising a graphics region, a video region and a mask/reveal layer. The user interface is generated in a head end of the system as a digital bitstream and transmitted to subscriber equipment for display. Operation of the user interface is facilitated by functions on both a local level with the subscriber equipment and on a system level within the head end. One embodiment of the user interface is an interactive program guide.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2010Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I, LLCInventors: Donald F. Gordon, Edward A. Ludvig, Nathan W. Osborn, Jeremy S. Edmonds, Sadik Bayrakeri
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Patent number: 8443387Abstract: Techniques for transmitting multiple “slices” of information for a particular location of a user interface, which can be used to present more information to a viewer for a limited-size viewing area. Multiple slices can be associated with a particular slice location of a user interface. In a first slice delivery and presentation scheme, multiple slices for a particular location of an interactive program guide (IPG) page are transmitted from the head-end at different times, and the slices can be appropriately time stamped for presentation at the designated times. In a second scheme, multiple slices are concurrently transmitted for a particular location of an IPG page, and one of the multiple slices can be selected for processing and display. In a third scheme, one slice is transmitted for each slice location, and additional slices can be transmitted for a particular location upon receiving a request from the terminal.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2007Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.Inventors: Donald F. Gordon, Sadik Bayrakeri, John P. Comito
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Patent number: 8255956Abstract: A system and method for efficient delivery of video segments. One embodiment relates to the delivery of short-time duration video segments. The video segments may be delivered as part of a media-rich interactive program guide (IPG) or for some other application. The system and method provides a viewer with access to a video segment starting at its beginning (or any other selectable point within the video segment). Such access may be provided using a server-centric interactive technique. The server-centric technique may involve use of a demand-cast system and method. Demand-cast messaging may occur between a session manager, transport stream generator, and terminal. For example, a video object on a screen may be activated by a viewer using a remote control for a terminal. Activation of the object may cause transmission of a request from the terminal to a session manager for a video segment corresponding to the object.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2006Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.Inventors: Sadik Bayrakeri, Donald F. Gordon, Edward A. Ludvig, John P. Comito, Jeremy S. Edmonds, Eugene Gershtein
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Patent number: 8225361Abstract: Techniques to remotely monitor and control operations performed by one or more head-ends (or servers) in an information distribution system. In one implementation, a monitor and control unit communicates with various elements (e.g., an IPG service manager and a session manager) within each head-end to receive information relating to the operations of the head-end. This information may include status and/or indications of possible error conditions relating to (1) various operations (e.g., encoding, multiplexing, and so on) performed by the head-end, and (2) the transport streams being transmitted from the head-end. The received information may then be forwarded to one or more remote devices (e.g., pagers, cellular phones, PDAs) designated to receive the information. Response messages may also be received from the remote devices and forwarded to the appropriate head-end, which may adjust its operation as indicated by commands included in the messages.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2000Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.Inventors: Brian Feinberg, Eugene Gershtein, Donald F. Gordon, Yong Ho Son, Sadik Bayrakeri
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Patent number: 8191104Abstract: An apparatus for providing multiple session-based services at a terminal, an exemplary apparatus includes a memory configured to support a plurality of software layers including a service layer communicating with terminal resources via a root layer disposed therebetween; and a processor, for executing instructions associated with a plurality of service layer applications, a root layer application and a control mechanism; each of the service layer applications communicating with terminal resources to provide thereby a respective user interface; wherein the control mechanism selectively causing at least one of the service layer applications to enter an active state, the user interface associated with a service layer application being adapted in response to the service layer application entering the active state.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2006Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.Inventors: Donald F. Gordon, Sadik Bayrakeri, Jeremy S. Edmonds, Yong Ho Son, Edward A. Ludvig, Mike R Colligan
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Publication number: 20120117584Abstract: A media system, receives a received sequence of media content, for presentation at the media system and generates a comparison fingerprint of the received sequence of media content. The comparison fingerprint is for comparison with a plurality of reference fingerprints so as to identify the received sequence of media content. The media system sends a request for identification of additional content to a server system. The request is based at least in part on the comparison fingerprint. The media system receives a response to the request, including information enabling additional content to be selected for display at the media system based at least in part on the identification of the received sequence of media content, and presents a displayed sequence of media content that includes at least a portion of the received sequence of media content and at least a portion of the additional content.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2011Publication date: May 10, 2012Inventor: Donald F. Gordon
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Publication number: 20110314500Abstract: Methods for slice-based encoding of program guides and user interfaces. The program guides include multiple video streams for picture-in-picture and other applications. A method for encoding the program guide includes encoding a first set of slices for each of a plurality of graphics pages; and encoding a second set of slices for each of a plurality of video streams. The user interfaces are multi-functional and may be used for electronic commerce and other applications. A method of generating the user interface includes encoding a set of slices for each of a plurality of objects, each object being characterized by an identity, at least one attribute, and at least one operation. In one embodiment of this method, the plurality of objects include an electronic commerce object, where the electronic commerce object is attributed with a first hyper text markup language (HTML) page.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2011Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLCInventors: Donald F. Gordon, Sadik Bayrakeri, Edward A. Ludvig, Eugene Gershtein, Jeremy S. Edmonds, John P. Comito
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Patent number: 8032906Abstract: Methods for slice-based encoding of program guides and user interfaces are disclosed. The program guides include multiple video streams for picture-in-picture and other applications. A method for encoding the program guide includes encoding a first set of slices for each of a plurality of graphics pages; and encoding a second set of slices for each of a plurality of video streams. The user interfaces are multi-functional and may be used for electronic commerce and other applications. A method of generating the user interface includes encoding a set of slices for each of a plurality of objects, each object being characterized by an identity, at least one attribute, and at least one operation. In one embodiment of this method, the plurality of objects include an electronic commerce object, where the electronic commerce object is attributed with a first hyper text markup language (HTML) page.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2002Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I, LLCInventors: Donald F. Gordon, Sadik Bayrakeri, Edward A. Ludvig, Eugene Gershtein, Jeremy S. Edmonds, John P. Comito
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Patent number: 7992172Abstract: A system for delivering interactive program guide (IPG) includes a number of encoding units, at least one transport stream generator, and a session manager. The encoding units encode a number of IPG pages and generate a number of (e.g., guide, video, audio, and data) streams, with each stream being assigned a respective packet identifier (PID). Each transport stream generator receives and multiplexes selected ones of the streams from one or more encoding units into one or more transport streams. The session manager directs each transport stream generator to generate one or more transport streams based on usage. The system may further include a bandwidth manager that monitors usage and reports the usage to the session manager. The encoding units can be operated to encode only once each IPG page to be transmitted. Each transport stream generator can be operated to provide differentiated IPG for the neighborhood being served by the transport stream generator.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2000Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.Inventors: Donald F. Gordon, Brian Feinberg, Eugene Gershtein, Sadik Bayrakeri, John P. Comito, Edward A. Ludvig
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Patent number: 7970645Abstract: Techniques to deliver targeted advertisements and multimedia contents to viewers. Various types of advertisements are encoded and transmitted. The advertisements may be targeted for different coverage areas (e.g., national and local levels) and may further include various categories (e.g., kids, sports, business, and so on). At the terminal, one or more advertisements may be selected for display based on various selection schemes. The particular advertisement to be selected for display at a terminal may be based on the terminal's assigned profile or user interaction at the terminal. The profile may be assigned based on the last program viewed at the terminal, a particular filter icon selected at the terminal, the observed television viewing habits of the viewer at the terminal, and so on. The techniques may also be advantageously used for delivery of other multimedia contents and for other applications.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2001Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.Inventors: Donald F. Gordon, Sadik Bayrakeri, Edward A. Ludvig, John P. Comito
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Patent number: 7953160Abstract: A method and apparatus for compressing a plurality of video sequences, is provided where each sequence has information that is common with other video sequences. The ensemble encodes the video sequences into an MPEG compliant transport stream using less predicted frame information than separately encoding each video sequence. One illustrative application involves efficiently encoding and transmitting a user interface such as a program guide, interactive program guide, electronic program guide, navigator and the like. The user interface is illustratively embodied in an interactive program guide (IPG).Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2009Date of Patent: May 31, 2011Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I, LLCInventors: Donald F. Gordon, Sadik Bayrakeri, Joseph R. Wild, Jeremy S. Edmonds, Edward A. Ludvig, John P. Comito, Eugene Gershtein
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Patent number: 7917934Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing subscription-on-demand (SOD) services for a interactive information distribution system, where a consumer may subscribe to packages of on-demand programs for a single price and view the programs in the subscribed package at any time for no additional cost. The apparatus and method are embodied in a combination of software, which provides a so called navigator, and hardware, including a subscriber terminal that provides certain functionality for the navigator and service provider equipment that supports the functionality of the terminal. As such, graphical user interface functionality is distributed between the service provider equipment and subscriber equipment (subscriber terminal). Such distribution provides an enjoyable, real time interactive process for accessing SOD services that allows the subscriber to rapidly identify and access a subscription service.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2001Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.Inventors: Donald F. Gordon, Tobie La Rocca
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Publication number: 20110022961Abstract: A user interface for an interactive information distribution system comprising a graphics region, a video region and a mask/reveal layer. The user interface is generated in a head end of the system as a digital bitstream and transmitted to subscriber equipment for display. Operation of the user interface is facilitated by functions on both a local level with the subscriber equipment and on a system level within the head end. One embodiment of the user interface is an interactive program guide.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2010Publication date: January 27, 2011Applicant: COMCAST IP HOLDINGS I, LLCInventors: Donald F. Gordon, Edward A. Ludvig, Nathan W. Osborn, Jeremy S. Edmonds, Sadik Bayrakeri
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Publication number: 20100296574Abstract: A terminal for decoding and presenting encoded realtime and non-realtime interactive program guide (IPG) content including a realtime video portion and a non-realtime guide graphics portion. The terminal includes a demodulator operative to receive and demodulate a modulated signal to provide a transport stream, and a transport demultiplexer coupled to the demodulator and operative to receive and process the transport stream to provide a sequence of transport packets re-timestamped to synchronize encoded realtime content and encoded non-realtime content included therein. At least one video decoder is coupled to the transport demultiplexer and operative to receive and decode the encoded realtime and non-realtime contents to recover the realtime and non-realtime contents for the user interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2010Publication date: November 25, 2010Applicant: COMCAST IP HOLDINGS I, LLCInventors: Donald F. Gordon, Sadik Bayrakeri, Edward A. Ludvig, Eugene Gershtein, Jeremy S. Edmonds, John P. Comito
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Patent number: 7836467Abstract: A user interface for an interactive information distribution system comprising a graphics region, a video region and a mask/reveal layer. The user interface is generated in a head end of the system as a digital bitstream and transmitted to subscriber equipment for display. Operation of the user interface is facilitated by functions on both a local level with the subscriber equipment and on a system level within the head end. One embodiment of the user interface is an interactive program guide.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2003Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I, LLCInventors: Donald F. Gordon, Edward A. Ludvig, Nathan W. Osborn, Jeremy S. Edmonds, Sadik Bayrakeri
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Publication number: 20100269128Abstract: A media system replaces content in a first sequence of media content. The media system presents the first sequence of media content to an end-user and generates a fingerprint of the sequence of media content. The fingerprint is for comparison with a plurality of reference fingerprints so as to identify the first sequence of media content and determine a reference position within the first sequence of media content. The media system sends a request for a replacement sequence of content to a content replacement system, and receives replacement media content selected based on the identified first sequence of media content. The media system presents the replacement media content to the end-user instead of the first sequence of media content. Presenting the replacement media content begins at a position in the first sequence of media content that is determined based on the reference position.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2010Publication date: October 21, 2010Inventor: Donald F. Gordon
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Patent number: 7810116Abstract: A terminal for decoding and presenting encoded realtime and non-realtime interactive program guide (IPG) content including a realtime video portion and a non-realtime guide graphics portion. The terminal includes a demodulator operative to receive and demodulate a modulated signal to provide a transport stream, and a transport demultiplexer coupled to the demodulator and operative to receive and process the transport stream to provide a sequence of transport packets re-timestamped to synchronize encoded realtime content and encoded non-realtime content included therein. At least one video decoder is coupled to the transport demultiplexer and operative to receive and decode the encoded realtime and non-realtime contents to recover the realtime and non-realtime contents for the user interface.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2004Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I, LLCInventors: Donald F. Gordon, Sadik Bayrakeri, Edward A. Ludvig, Eugene Gershtein, Jeremy S. Edmonds, John P. Comito