Patents by Inventor John Stefanik
John Stefanik 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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Patent number: 9712883Abstract: A user interface is presented on a monitor of a media device for providing information about available programs. The user interface includes an array having three columns (channel, current show, and next show) with commonly aligned rows. Each row of the channel column includes an indicator. Each row of the current show column includes a title naming a program currently available on a channel of the media device corresponding to the indicator in a commonly aligned row of the channel column. Each row of the next show column includes a title naming a show available after the current program on the same channel. The currently available program may be displayed on the monitor in response to a viewer selected row, indicator, and/or title in the array.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2014Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.Inventors: Scott R. Swix, John Stefanik
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Patent number: 9038109Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for generating an enhanced programming guide. Programming events are associated as packages of programming. The programming guide is generated as a programming grid of cells. The programming grid lists a wrapper associated with each package and each package's associated events. The wrapper surrounds all the cells in the programming grid that are associated with the events for each package.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2008Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.Inventors: David Steading, John Stefanik
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Publication number: 20150020108Abstract: A user interface is presented on a monitor of a media device for providing information about available programs. The user interface includes an array having three columns (channel, current show, and next show) with commonly aligned rows. Each row of the channel column includes an indicator. Each row of the current show column includes a title naming a program currently available on a channel of the media device corresponding to the indicator in a commonly aligned row of the channel column. Each row of the next show column includes a title naming a show available after the current program on the same channel. The currently available program may be displayed on the monitor in response to a viewer selected row, indicator, and/or title in the array.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2014Publication date: January 15, 2015Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Scott R. Swix, John Stefanik
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Patent number: 8739220Abstract: A user interface is presented on a monitor of a media device for providing information about available programs. The user interface includes an array having three columns (channel, current show, and next show) with commonly aligned rows. Each row of the channel column includes an indicator. Each row of the current show column includes a title naming a program currently available on a channel of the media device corresponding to the indicator in a commonly aligned row of the channel column. Each row of the next show column includes a title naming a show available after the current program on the same channel. The currently available program may be displayed on the monitor in response to a viewer selected row, indicator, and/or title in the array.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Scott R. Swix, John Stefanik
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Patent number: 8401362Abstract: A user is able to select a multimedia stream from a plurality of multimedia streams available at a multimedia receiver. The availability of one or more trickplay features for the selected multimedia stream is determined in response to the selection of the multimedia stream. A visual indicator, an audible indicator, or both are selectively provided for display/output based on the determined availability status of the corresponding trickplay feature. The selective provision of a trickplay indicator can include providing a first trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is available and providing a second, different trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is unavailable. Alternately, the selective provision of a trickplay indicator includes providing the trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is unavailable and omitting provision of the trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is available, or vice versa.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2008Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: James Carlton Bedingfield, Sr., John Stefanik
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Publication number: 20130014166Abstract: A user interface is presented on a monitor of a media device for providing information about available programs. The user interface includes an array having three columns (channel, current show, and next show) with commonly aligned rows. Each row of the channel column includes an indicator. Each row of the current show column includes a title naming a program currently available on a channel of the media device corresponding to the indicator in a commonly aligned row of the channel column. Each row of the next show column includes a title naming a show available after the current program on the same channel. The currently available program may be displayed on the monitor in response to a viewer selected row, indicator, and/or title in the array.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. via transfer from BellSouth Intellectual Property CorporationInventors: Scott R. Swix, John Stefanik
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Patent number: 8291450Abstract: A user interface is presented on a monitor of a media device for providing information about available programs. The user interface includes an array having three columns (channel, current show, and next show) with commonly aligned rows. Each row of the channel column includes an indicator. Each row of the current show column includes a title naming a program currently available on a channel of the media device corresponding to the indicator in a commonly aligned row of the channel column. Each row of the next show column includes a title naming a show available after the current program on the same channel. The currently available program may be displayed on the monitor in response to a viewer selected row, indicator, and/or title in the array.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2009Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Scott R. Swix, John Stefanik
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Patent number: 8165446Abstract: A user is able to select a multimedia stream from a plurality of multimedia streams available at a multimedia receiver. The availability of one or more trickplay features for the selected multimedia stream is determined in response to the selection of the multimedia stream. A visual indicator, an audible indicator, or both are selectively provided for display/output based on the determined availability status of the corresponding trickplay feature. The selective provision of a trickplay indicator can include providing a first trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is available and providing a second, different trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is unavailable. Alternately, the selective provision of a trickplay indicator includes providing the trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is unavailable and omitting provision of the trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is available, or vice versa.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2008Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LPInventors: James Carlton Bedingfield, Sr., John Stefanik
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Patent number: 7890380Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for implementing sales of products featured in a program is provided. The method includes associating an object featured in the program with the program and a product. The product corresponds to the object in the program. The method includes receiving a request relating to the object featured in the program and presenting product information associated with the product corresponding to the object in response to the request relating to the object. The method further includes generating an order for the product in response to a request to purchase the product.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2007Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: John Stefanik, Phillip Weeks, Charles P. Bradley, E-Lee Chang, Tuck Seng Tan, Lawrence K. Tucker
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Publication number: 20100088725Abstract: A user interface is presented on a monitor of a media device for providing information about available programs. The user interface includes an array having three columns (channel, current show, and next show) with commonly aligned rows. Each row of the channel column includes an indicator. Each row of the current show column includes a title naming a program currently available on a channel of the media device corresponding to the indicator in a commonly aligned row of the channel column. Each row of the next show column includes a title naming a show available after the current program on the same channel. The currently available program may be displayed on the monitor in response to a viewer selected row, indicator, and/or title in the array.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2009Publication date: April 8, 2010Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Scott R. Swix, John Stefanik
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Patent number: 7650618Abstract: A user interface is presented on a monitor of a media device for providing information about available programs. The user interface includes an array having three columns (channel, current show, and next show) with commonly aligned rows. Each row of the channel column includes an indicator. Each row of the current show column includes a title naming a program currently available on a channel of the media device corresponding to the indicator in a commonly aligned row of the channel column. Each row of the next show column includes a title naming a show available after the current program on the same channel. The currently available program may be displayed on the monitor in response to a viewer selected row, indicator, and/or title in the array.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2002Date of Patent: January 19, 2010Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property, I, L.P.Inventors: Scott R. Swix, John Stefanik
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Publication number: 20090269025Abstract: A user is able to select a multimedia stream from a plurality of multimedia streams available at a multimedia receiver. The availability of one or more trickplay features for the selected multimedia stream is determined in response to the selection of the multimedia stream. A visual indicator, an audible indicator, or both are selectively provided for display/output based on the determined availability status of the corresponding trickplay feature. The selective provision of a trickplay indicator can include providing a first trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is available and providing a second, different trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is unavailable. Alternately, the selective provision of a trickplay indicator includes providing the trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is unavailable and omitting provision of the trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is available, or vice versa.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2008Publication date: October 29, 2009Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, LPInventors: James Carlton Bedingfield, SR., John Stefanik
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Patent number: 7600245Abstract: A program source is linked to event information, which is coupled via a broadcast programming communication system to a number of subscribers. Each of the subscribers to the broadcast communication system has a device for displaying programming information. The subscriber is able to perform a variety of functions to select a program of interest. Subscribers can select, view, and purchase packages or events therein. The subscriber can scroll from event wrapper to event wrapper, within the same product or between products. Furthermore, while in the product scrolling mode the subscriber may interactively purchase a multi-event PPV product by using command buttons on a remote control.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2000Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: David Steading, John Stefanik
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Publication number: 20090133068Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for generating an enhanced programming guide. Programming events are associated as packages of programming. The programming guide is generated as a programming grid of cells. The programming grid lists a wrapper associated with each package and each package's associated events. The wrapper surrounds all the cells in the programming grid that are associated with the events for each package.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2008Publication date: May 21, 2009Inventors: David Steading, John Stefanik
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Publication number: 20080281684Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for implementing sales of products featured in a program is provided. The method includes associating an object featured in the program with the program and a product. The product corresponds to the object in the program. The method includes receiving a request relating to the object featured in the program and presenting product information associated with the product corresponding to the object in response to the request relating to the object. The method further includes generating an order for the product in response to a request to purchase the product.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2007Publication date: November 13, 2008Applicant: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATIONInventors: John Stefanik, Phillip Weeks, Charles P. Bradley, E-Lee Chang, Tuck Seng Tan, Lawrence K. Tucker, IV
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Publication number: 20080066091Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for providing content previewing services is provided. The method includes associating a content preview with a program descriptor that identifies a program in an onscreen programming guide database of programming content listings. The method also includes presenting the content preview to a program receiving device responsive to selection of the program descriptor. The content preview provides information about the program.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2006Publication date: March 13, 2008Applicant: BellSouth Intellectual Property CorporationInventors: John Stefanik, Phillip Weeks, Charles P. Bradley, E-Lee Chang, Tuck Seng Tan, Kitt Tucker
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Publication number: 20070080846Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for a remote control device. Means for detecting orientation of the remote control device couples to a processor. The processor is operative to change a mode of operation of the remote control device in response to a change in the orientation.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2006Publication date: April 12, 2007Inventor: John Stefanik
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Publication number: 20070067810Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for automated control of devices. A tag is received with Electronic Programming Guide data, and the tag includes control data. The tag is stripped from the Electronic Programming Guide data and communicated to a device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2006Publication date: March 22, 2007Inventors: George Durden, John Stefanik
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Publication number: 20050251820Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed that target content to a subscriber. One such device has a processor communicating with memory. The processor receives a library of content associated with a demographic and stores the library in memory. The processor receives an instruction to retrieve particular content from the library of content and inserts the particular content in an insertion slot.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2005Publication date: November 10, 2005Inventors: John Stefanik, Robert Koch
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Publication number: 20050235318Abstract: An interactive media delivery system enables interactive media programming to a multimedia device and also tracks a subscriber's use of the multimedia device. For example, the device tracks events, such as a change in programming, a change in channel selection, and/or the subscriber's interaction with a particular interactive services application. Each event may be stored as an event record in a database, and one or more of the event records may be merged with content data to form event timelines of programming or other activity to the multimedia device over a selected time period. Further, timelines may be analyzed to generate ratings and other information about programming and may also be correlated with demographics data for marketing analysis.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2005Publication date: October 20, 2005Inventors: Edward Grauch, John Batten, Fred Danner, Scott Swix, John Stefanik