Patents by Inventor Kevin B. Easterbrook

Kevin B. Easterbrook 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: 7185355
    Abstract: An interactive television program guide system is provided in which a user may inform a program guide of the user's interests. Information on the user's interests may be stored in a preference profile. There may be more than one preference profile, each for a different user. Each preference profile contains a number of preference attributes (program titles, genres, viewing times, channels, broadcast characteristics, etc.). A preference level (e.g., strong or weak like, strong or weak dislike, illegal, mandatory, don't care, etc.) that is indicative of the user's level of interest is associated with each preference attribute. Preference profiles may be used to restrict the programs that are listed in various program listings display screens and may be used to limit the channels to which the program guide allows the user to tune.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: United Video Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Ellis, Edward B. Knudson, Thomas R. Lemmons, Joel G. Hassell, Robert A. Knee, Kevin B. Easterbrook
  • Patent number: 7051360
    Abstract: An interactive television program guide is provided. The interactive television program guide provides a user with the opportunity to select a language for playing television programming and displaying program guide text. Television program audio in the desired language may be obtained from a SAP or digital audio track and played in the selected language. Television related information in the desired language may be obtained from a digital track. If television program audio or related information is not provided in the selected language, the program guide may use a default language. The program guide may coordinate program guide display screen text with languages available for television programs when the programs are broadcast to users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: United Video Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Ellis, W. Benjamin Herrington, Steven C. Williamson, Kevin B. Easterbrook, Joshua A. Rosenthol, David M. Rudnick
  • Patent number: 6886030
    Abstract: An e-mail notification system is provided. The e-mail notification system has a remote e-mail service system and at least one local client device. The e-mail service system is connected to the local client device via a primary communications link, and a secondary relatively low-bandwidth continuous communications link. The primary communications link is preferably bidirectional and has a relatively high bandwidth. Because such links are relatively costly, the primary communications link is not used continuously. The secondary communications link is preferably a low cost unidirectional continuous link. The e-mail service system receives e-mail messages for a user and sends e-mail notifications over the secondary communications link. The local client device generates an appropriate indicator whenever an e-mail notification is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: United Video Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin B. Easterbrook, Robert A. Knee, Joel G. Hassell, Michael D. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20020059621
    Abstract: A system and method may be provided that allows users to store, retrieve, and manipulate on-demand media content and data stored on a remote server network in an on-demand media delivery system. More particularly, the system may allow a user to access his or her on-demand media account from user equipment in different locations as long as the current user equipment can communicate with a remote server that stores user-specific information. The system upon user selection may freeze the delivery of on-demand media at a particular point and allow the user to resume the media at a later time from some other network location in system. Users may upload personal images or files to an on-demand delivery server for later retrieval and display. Users may be permitted to assign access rights to the uploaded files.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: William L. Thomas, Michael D. Ellis, Kevin B. Easterbrook, M. Scott Reichardt, Robert A. Knee
  • Publication number: 20020042920
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing supplemental content with on-demand media in an interactive television application are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Applicant: United Video Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Thomas, Michael D. Ellis, David M. Berezowski, Kevin B. Easterbrook, Joseph P. Baumgartner