Patents by Inventor Douglas Paul Strachota

Douglas Paul Strachota 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).

  • Patent number: 9774822
    Abstract: Content distribution systems, methods and user interfaces are described wherein a modulator dynamically duplicates output of multiple channels, a plurality of receivers are individually tuned to one of the multiple channels, wherein a single transport stream can be sent on the multiple channels to each of the desired receivers and wherein the distribution can occur in multiple modes, and user interfaces which allow a manager of the content distribution system to dynamically change the channels on each receiver so that each of the receivers can be tuned to one of the multiple channels through the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: THOMSON Licensing
    Inventors: Steven Charles Rhoads, Douglas Paul Strachota
  • Patent number: 9374625
    Abstract: A user interface for a content distribution system is disclosed which allows a manager of an environment of TV sets to view which content is playing on individual TV sets, and to change, track and otherwise adjust the content. The invention advantageously provides these features without interfering with other TV sets' programming when another TV set is being adjusted, changes or tracked by the manager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Steven Charles Rhoads, Douglas Paul Strachota, Anthony Louis Watters
  • Patent number: 9301017
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and user interface for providing operational status for multiple communication networks is described. The embodiments include receiving a request to change a program being provided on a first device in the plurality of devices, determining if the requested change requires changing the program provided to at least one second device in the plurality of devices, and outputting or displaying a list of programs currently provided to a subset of the plurality of devices if the requested change requires changing the program to the at least one second device, the subset of devices including the first device and the at least one second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Douglas Paul Strachota, Brian William Moore
  • Publication number: 20150052556
    Abstract: Content distribution systems, methods and user interfaces are described wherein a modulator dynamically duplicates output of multiple channels, a plurality of receivers are individually tuned to one of the multiple channels, wherein a single transport stream can be sent on the multiple channels to each of the desired receivers and wherein the distribution can occur in multiple modes, and user interfaces which allow a manager of the content distribution system to dynamically change the channels on each receiver so that each of the receivers can be tuned to one of the multiple channels through the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Steven Charles Rhoads, Douglas Paul Strachota
  • Publication number: 20150007211
    Abstract: A user interface for a content distribution system is disclosed which allows a manager of an environment of TV sets to view which content is playing on individual TV sets, and to change, track and otherwise adjust the content. The invention advantageously provides these features without interfering with other TV sets' programming when another TV set is being adjusted, changes or tracked by the manager.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Steven Charles Rhoads, Douglas Paul Strachota, Anthony Louis Watters
  • Publication number: 20140366071
    Abstract: A content distribution system allows multiple channels to be played on multiple TV sets without the need to separately tune the TV sets using a remote control, which would potentially interfere with the channels being broadcast on nearby TV sets in an environment. A modulator dynamically duplicates the output of channels, thereby allowing multiple TV sets to be statically tuned to a fixed channel. The modulator can then duplicate the output so that a single input MPEG-2 transport stream can be sent out multiple channels and sub-channels to each of the desired TV sets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Steven Charles Rhoads, Douglas Paul Strachota
  • Patent number: 8799961
    Abstract: The present invention relates to electronic program guides. Program guide state information is stored in a remote control which generates and delivers a pseudo-interactive guide to end users with the system state information (guide information to channel mapping maintained in the remote control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Steven Charles Rhoads, Robert Andrew Rhodes, Benjamin Thomas Vondersaar, Thomas Anthony Stahl, Darrel Wayne Randall, Douglas Paul Strachota, Thanabalan Thavittupitchai Paul
  • Publication number: 20140181867
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and user interface for providing operational status for multiple communication networks is described. The embodiments include receiving a request to change a program being provided on a first device in the plurality of devices, determining if the requested change requires changing the program provided to at least one second device in the plurality of devices, and outputting or displaying a list of programs currently provided to a subset of the plurality of devices if the requested change requires changing the program to the at least one second device, the subset of devices including the first device and the at least one second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Douglas Paul STRACHOTA, Brian William Moore
  • Publication number: 20140040953
    Abstract: The present invention relates to electronic program guides. Program guide state information is stored in a remote control which generates and delivers a pseudo-interactive guide to end users with the system state information (guide information to channel mapping maintained in the remote control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Steven Charles Rhoads, Robert Andrew Rhodes, Benjamin Thomas Vondersaar, Thomas Anthony Stahl, Darrel Wayne Randall, Douglas Paul Strachota, Thanabalan Thavittupitchai Paul