Patents by Inventor Michael P. Ruffini

Michael P. Ruffini 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: 8578406
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes switching, by a media content access subsystem, from a program stream to an advertisement stream in response to a switching instruction received by the media content access subsystem, detecting, by the media content access subsystem, a predetermined number of markers included within the advertisement stream, the predetermined number of markers indicative of an error associated with the advertisement stream, and switching, by the media content access subsystem, from the advertisement stream to another media content stream in response to the detecting of the predetermined number of markers. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Harpal S. Bassali, Michael P. Ruffini, Marcelo D. Lechner, Armando P. Stettner
  • Patent number: 8572659
    Abstract: A device receives, from one of a set-top box/digital video recorder (STB/DVR) or a user device, a request to allocate an amount of storage, and allocates the amount of storage based on the allocation request, logically extending the user's available storage. The device also receives, from the one of a set-top box/digital video recorder (STB/DVR) or a user device, a request to record content, and records the content to one or more portions of the allocated storage based on the record request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Christina L Fyock, Michael P Ruffini, Paulo Goncalves de Barros
  • Publication number: 20130219424
    Abstract: Devices, methods, and storage media provide for receiving an airing of a program and a national ad; recording the program and the national ad; identifying an age of the national ad; comparing the age of the national ad to a threshold time period; and obtaining a replacement national ad in response to a comparison indicating that the age of the national ad exceeds the threshold time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Marcelo D. Lechner, Michael P. Ruffini, Jason L. Malamud
  • Patent number: 8493438
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes receiving, by a three-dimensional (ā€œ3Dā€) adapter subsystem separate from and communicatively coupled to a display device, a 3D video content stream comprising data representative of 3D video content, directing, by the 3D adapter subsystem, the display device to generate and display the 3D video content in accordance with the 3D video content stream, and calibrating, by the 3D adapter subsystem, the display of the 3D video content in accordance with one or more attributes of the display device. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Harpal S. Bassali, Armando P. Stettner, Michael P. Ruffini, Marcelo D. Lechner
  • Publication number: 20130160044
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed include a method and a system. The method includes receiving a first media stream, in a first network device from a remote network device, using a first network protocol. The may method include converting the first media stream in real-time to a second media stream according to a second network protocol and transmitting the second media stream to a user device. The method may include receiving a first trick-mode command according to a first trick-mode protocol from the user device, wherein the first trick-mode command includes rewind, fast forward, or pause. The method may include converting the first trick-mode command into a second trick-mode command according to a second trick-mode protocol and transmitting the second trick-mode command to the remote network device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Verizon Paten and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Montague Mathews, Michael P. Ruffini
  • Patent number: 8347327
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes maintaining data representative of a plurality of advertisements each having one of a plurality of different resolutions, detecting a message indicative of an upcoming advertisement break in a media content program being transmitted to a media content access device by way of a content channel, detecting a resolution of the media content program, directing a dynamic advertisement delivery subsystem communicatively coupled to the media content access device to dynamically transmit a subset of the advertisements by way of one or more advertisement channels, wherein each advertisement included in the subset has the same resolution as the resolution of the media content program, and distributing tuning information associated with each of the one or more advertisement channels to the media content access device prior to an occurrence of the advertisement break. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing, Inc.
    Inventors: Harpal S. Bassali, Armando P. Stettner, Michael P. Ruffini, Marcelo D. Lechner
  • Publication number: 20120316965
    Abstract: A network device in a customer premises network collects profile data for a client device of multiple client devices in the customer premises network and sends the client profile data to a remote provider network. The network device receives, from the remote provider network, a group of advertisement files for targeted advertising to the client device and stores, in a memory, the group of advertisement files. The network device detects an advertisement insertion cue in linear program content being streamed to the client device, selects an advertisement file from the stored group of advertisement files, and inserts the selected advertisement file into the linear program content being streamed to the client device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Robin Montague Mathews, Michael P. Ruffini, Tushar Saxena
  • Publication number: 20120167132
    Abstract: One or more servers in an IP network receive, from a user device, a selection of live streaming content and assemble an index file including links to chunks of the selected live streaming content and links to advertising files for insertion within the selected live streaming content. The one or more severs send, to the user device, a link to the index file associated with the selected live streaming content and receive, from the user device, a streaming request for the selected live streaming content. The one or more servers send, to the user device, the index file including the links to chunks of the selected live streaming content and the links to advertising files for insertion within the selected live streaming content. The user device may use the links to combine the chunks of the selected live streaming content and the advertising files into a single linear presentation. A standards-based client for the user device is used with the server side implementation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Robin M. MATHEWS, Michael P. Ruffini, Tushar Saxena
  • Publication number: 20120151520
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes switching, by a media content access subsystem, from a program stream to an advertisement stream in response to a switching instruction received by the media content access subsystem, detecting, by the media content access subsystem, a predetermined number of markers included within the advertisement stream, the predetermined number of markers indicative of an error associated with the advertisement stream, and switching, by the media content access subsystem, from the advertisement stream to another media content stream in response to the detecting of the predetermined number of markers. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Harpal S. Bassali, Michael P. Ruffini, Marcelo D. Lechner, Armando P. Stettner
  • Publication number: 20120133731
    Abstract: A method performed by one or more computing devices includes receiving, by a data center and from a user device via a public network connection, a selection of high-definition three-dimensional (HD3D) content and sending, by the data center and to the user device, a link to a content delivery system to provide the selected HD3D content. The method also includes receiving, by the content delivery system and from the user device, a streaming request for the selected HD3D content; reserving, by the content delivery system, bandwidth, for the selected HD3D content, within a managed network; and sending, by the content delivery system and to the user device, a streaming Internet protocol (IP) address for providing the selected HD3D content over the managed network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Te Sheng Lin, M. James Ho, Michael P. Ruffini
  • Publication number: 20120109726
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media content provider subsystem capturing data representative of a media content instance during transmission of the media content instance, detecting, during the capturing, a trigger included in the transmission and indicating a start time and an end time of an advertisement break included in the media content instance, and dynamically updating an index file associated with the captured media content instance with data representative of the start time and the end time of the advertisement break. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventor: Michael P. Ruffini
  • Patent number: 8141113
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes switching, by a media content access subsystem, from a program stream to an advertisement stream in response to a switching instruction received by the media content access subsystem, detecting, by the media content access subsystem, a predetermined number of markers included within the advertisement stream, the predetermined number of markers indicative of an error associated with the advertisement stream, and switching, by the media content access subsystem, from the advertisement stream to another media content stream in response to the detecting of the predetermined number of markers. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Harpal S. Bassali, Michael P. Ruffini, Marcelo D. Lechner, Armando P. Stettner
  • Publication number: 20110314496
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media content delivery system transmitting an enhanced media content transport stream that includes at least a single program stream that carries data representative of multiple video content programs. The enhanced media content transport stream further includes data specifying multiple video program identifiers for the multiple video content programs, each of the multiple video program identifiers configured to be used by an access subsystem that receives the enhanced media content transport stream to selectively access a different one of the multiple video content programs. In certain embodiments, the multiple video content programs comprise a first video content program including video data for a main media content program and a second video content program including video data for an advertisement. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: James F. Di Mattia, Michael P. Ruffini
  • Publication number: 20110296458
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media content delivery system transmitting a transport stream containing an advertisement channel and a program channel, the program channel carrying a media program stream at a first bit rate, detecting an upcoming advertisement break within the media program stream, inserting, in response to the detecting of the upcoming advertisement break, an advertisement content stream having a second bit rate that is lower than the first bit rate into the program channel to temporally coincide with the advertisement break to free bandwidth in the transport stream during the advertisement break, and inserting an additional advertisement content stream in the advertisement channel, the additional advertisement content stream temporally coinciding with the advertisement break and utilizing at least a portion of the freed bandwidth in the transport stream. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: James F. Di Mattia, Michael P. Ruffini, Harpal S. Bassali
  • Publication number: 20110211049
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes receiving, by a three-dimensional (ā€œ3Dā€) adapter subsystem separate from and communicatively coupled to a display device, a 3D video content stream comprising data representative of 3D video content, directing, by the 3D adapter subsystem, the display device to generate and display the 3D video content in accordance with the 3D video content stream, and calibrating, by the 3D adapter subsystem, the display of the 3D video content in accordance with one or more attributes of the display device. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Harpal S. Bassali, Armando P. Stettner, Michael P. Ruffini, Marcelo D. Lechner
  • Publication number: 20110209175
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes processing a first program stream representative of media content having a first resolution and a second program stream representative of the media content having a second resolution, generating a single advertisement stream representative of advertisement content having a third resolution, detecting a transmission lag between the first and second program streams, dynamically synchronizing the first and second program streams to substantially remove the detected transmission lag, transmitting the synchronized first program stream by way of a first content channel, the synchronized second program stream by way of a second content channel, and the advertisement stream by way of an advertisement channel, and directing a media content access device to switch from being tuned to the second content channel to being tuned to the advertisement channel during an advertising break in the media content. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Harpal S. Bassali, Armando P. Stettner, Michael P. Ruffini, Marcelo D. Lechner
  • Publication number: 20110191798
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes maintaining data representative of a plurality of advertisements each having one of a plurality of different resolutions, detecting a message indicative of an upcoming advertisement break in a media content program being transmitted to a media content access device by way of a content channel, detecting a resolution of the media content program, directing a dynamic advertisement delivery subsystem communicatively coupled to the media content access device to dynamically transmit a subset of the advertisements by way of one or more advertisement channels, wherein each advertisement included in the subset has the same resolution as the resolution of the media content program, and distributing tuning information associated with each of the one or more advertisement channels to the media content access device prior to an occurrence of the advertisement break. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Verizon Patent and Licensing, Inc.
    Inventors: Harpal S. Bassali, Armando P. Stettner, Michael P. Ruffini, Marcelo D. Lechner
  • Publication number: 20110179356
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes maintaining data representative of a recorded media content instance comprising a media content program and a first advertisement and an index file corresponding to the recorded media content instance, playing back the recorded media content instance in accordance with timestamp data and storage location data included in the index file, dynamically replacing, during the playback of the recorded media content instance, a portion of the storage location data in the index file that corresponds to the first advertisement with storage location data corresponding to a second advertisement, and presenting the second advertisement in place of the first advertisement during the playback of the recorded media content instance in accordance with the modified index file. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Harpal S. Bassali, Marcelo D. Lechner, Michael P. Ruffini, Armando P. Stettner
  • Publication number: 20110123173
    Abstract: Exemplary trick play advertising systems and methods are described herein. An exemplary method includes a media content access system detecting a command to execute a trick play function on a media content program, accessing a splash screen advertisement in response to the detected command, and providing the splash screen advertisement for display during an execution of the trick play function. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Michael P. Ruffini, Harpal S. Bassali
  • Publication number: 20110093893
    Abstract: A device may include a communication interface configured to receive programming information from a service provider multicast over multiple channels. The device may also include logic configured to decode the programming information received over the multiple channels, assemble a programming guide based on the decoded programming information and output the programming guide to an output device for display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: Verizon Patent and Licencing, Inc.
    Inventors: Nabil N. Bitar, Michael P. Ruffini, Rajesh Yadav