Patents by Inventor Jerald Howcroft

Jerald Howcroft 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: 9973726
    Abstract: A method includes performing, at a media recorder device, a comparison of a user defined criterion to information descriptive of content items associated with a set of series subscriptions. The content items and the set of series subscriptions are stored at the media recorder device. The user defined criterion indicates that reruns of episodes associated with a particular series subscription of the set of series subscriptions have not been recorded within a time period. The method includes identifying, at the media recorder device, multiple series subscriptions of the set of series subscriptions based on the comparison. The method includes deleting the multiple series subscriptions from the media recorder device. The method further includes sending, from the media recorder device, a notification to a display device, the notification indicating that a cleanup operation has been performed on the set of series subscription stored at the media recorder device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Jerald Howcroft, Kathy Goode, Michael Raftelis
  • Patent number: 8584186
    Abstract: Method and apparatus to provide supplemental media content are presented. In a particular embodiment, a method of providing supplemental content in a Video-On-Demand (VOD) system is provided. The method includes receiving a selection of a first supplemental content title selected from a plurality of supplemental content titles provided by a selectable menu, where each of the plurality of supplemental content titles is associated with a particular VOD offering. The selectable menu provided is to be displayed upon detection of discontinued transmission of the particular VOD offering. The method also includes providing first supplemental content associated with the first supplemental content title. The first supplemental content is accessible by a subscriber when the particular VOD offering is not being presented and wherein the first supplemental content is not accessible by the subscriber when the particular VOD offering is being presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Jerald Howcroft
  • Publication number: 20100125884
    Abstract: Method and apparatus to provide supplemental media content are presented. In a particular embodiment, a method of providing supplemental content in a Video-On-Demand (VOD) system is provided. The method includes receiving a selection of a first supplemental content title selected from a plurality of supplemental content titles provided by a selectable menu, where each of the plurality of supplemental content titles is associated with a particular VOD offering. The selectable menu provided is to be displayed upon detection of discontinued transmission of the particular VOD offering. The method also includes providing first supplemental content associated with the first supplemental content title. The first supplemental content is accessible by a subscriber when the particular VOD offering is not being presented and wherein the first supplemental content is not accessible by the subscriber when the particular VOD offering is being presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Jerald Howcroft
  • Publication number: 20070250874
    Abstract: A system and method of indexing video content is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a set index command at a set-top box device during transmission of video content from the set-top box device to a display device coupled to the set-top box device. The method also includes storing an index marker at a position in the video content, where the set-top box device transmits the video content to the display device beginning at the position in response to a selection of the index marker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, LP
    Inventor: Jerald Howcroft
  • Publication number: 20070226794
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a computer-readable medium, method and system for determining security vulnerabilities for a plurality of application programs used to provide television services to a customer device over a communications network. The method includes running a first scanning program against a first application program relating to a control panel for the customer device; running a second scanning program against a second application program that provides Internet content to the customer device; running a third scanning program against a third application program that relates to a component management system of customer premises equipment; and correlating security vulnerabilities identified utilizing the first, second, and third scanning programs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures L.P.
    Inventors: Jerald Howcroft, John Markley, Rocco Del Carmine
  • Publication number: 20070192807
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus, method, and computer programs for obtaining content from a communications network. One aspect of the disclosure includes: storing an aggregator on a Set Top Box (STB) associated with a television set, wherein the aggregator is adapted to obtain content corresponding to a plurality of feeds from a communications network; displaying the plurality of feeds on the television set in response to a first input received by the STB; accepting at the STB a selection of at least one feed from the plurality of feeds; obtaining content from the communications network corresponding to the selected at least one feed; and providing the obtained content for display on the television set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures L.P.
    Inventor: Jerald Howcroft