Patents by Inventor P. Christopher Shoaff
P. Christopher Shoaff 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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Publication number: 20160219327Abstract: A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement. In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2016Publication date: July 28, 2016Inventors: Ronald Alexander, Stephen Dias, Kenneth S. Hancock, Elsie Y. Leung, Douglas B. Macrae, Arthur Y. Ng, Shawn P. O'Neil, P. Christopher Shoaff, Jonathon Sutton, Thomas E. Ward, Thomas E. Westberg, Henry C. Yuen
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Patent number: 9191722Abstract: A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement. In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2013Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.Inventors: Ronald Alexander, Stephen Dias, Kenneth S. Hancock, Elsie Y. Leung, Douglas B. Macrae, Arthur Y. Ng, Shawn P. O'Neil, P. Christopher Shoaff, Jonathon Sutton, Thomas E. Ward, Thomas E. Westberg, Henry C. Yuen
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Patent number: 9015749Abstract: A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement. In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2014Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.Inventors: Ronald Alexander, Stephen Dias, Kenneth S. Hancock, Elsie Y. Leung, Douglas B. Macrae, Arthur Y. Ng, Shawn P. O'Neil, P. Christopher Shoaff, Jonathon Sutton, Thomas E. Ward, Thomas E. Westberg, Henry C. Yuen
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Patent number: 8918807Abstract: A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement. In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2014Date of Patent: December 23, 2014Assignee: Gemstar Development CorporationInventors: Ronald Alexander, Stephen Dias, Kenneth S. Hancock, Elsie Y. Leung, Douglas B. Macrae, Arthur Y. Ng, Shawn P. O'Neil, P. Christopher Shoaff, Jonathon Sutton, Thomas E. Ward, Thomas E. Westberg, Henry C. Yuen
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Publication number: 20140250462Abstract: An EPG database for a home entertainment system includes files that contain information about television programs retrievable by time and channel. The files are linked to each other so information about, a future television program can be obtained by accessing a file about a current television program. A current television program displayed on the screen of a home entertainment system includes an announcement or advertisement of a future television program. The availability of an electronic program guide function (e.g., record, watch, details, display time, display channel, display by theme, and Internet connection) is signaled during, before, or after the announcement. A command is issued to invoke the EPG function. The information about the future television program is retrieved from the file about the current television program in fee database. The EPG function is executed with the retrieved information.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2014Publication date: September 4, 2014Applicant: Index Systems, Inc.Inventors: Henry C. Yuen, Thomas E. Ward, III, Eric Shalkey, P. Christopher Shoaff
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Publication number: 20140229981Abstract: A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement. In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2014Publication date: August 14, 2014Applicant: GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Ronald Alexander, Stephen Dias, Kenneth S. Hancock, Elsie Y. Leung, Douglas B. Macrae, Arthur Y. Ng, Shawn P. O'Neil, P. Christopher Shoaff, Jonathon Sutton, Thomas E. Ward, Thomas E. Westberg, Henry C. Yuen
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Publication number: 20140229988Abstract: A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement. In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2014Publication date: August 14, 2014Applicant: Gemstar Development CorporationInventors: Ronald Alexander, Stephen Dias, Kenneth S. Hancock, Elsie Y. Leung, Douglas B. Macrae, Arthur Y. Ng, Shawn P. O'Neil, P. Christopher Shoaff, Jonathon Sutton, Thomas E. Ward, Thomas E. Westberg, Henry C. Yuen
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Publication number: 20140229982Abstract: A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement. In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2014Publication date: August 14, 2014Applicant: GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Ronald Alexander, Stephen Dias, Kenneth S. Hancock, Elsie Y. Leung, Douglas B. Macrae, Arthur Y. Ng, Shawn P. O'Neil, P. Christopher Shoaff, Jonathon Sutton, Thomas E. Ward, Thomas E. Westberg, Henry C. Yuen
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Publication number: 20140208362Abstract: A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement. In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2014Publication date: July 24, 2014Applicant: GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Ronald Alexander, Stephen Dias, Kenneth S. Hancock, Elsie Y. Leung, Douglas B. Macrae, Arthur Y. Ng, Shawn P. O'Neil, P. Christopher Shoaff, Jonathon Sutton, Thomas E. Ward, Thomas E. Westberg, Henry C. Yuen
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Patent number: 8689259Abstract: An EPG database for a home entertainment system includes files that contain information about television programs retrievable by time and channel. The files are linked to each other so information about a future television program can be obtained by accessing a file about a current television program. A current television program displayed on the screen of a home entertainment system includes an announcement or advertisement of a future television program. The availability of an electronic program guide function (e.g., record, watch, details, display time, display channel, display by theme, and Internet connection) is signaled during, before, or after the announcement. A command is issued to invoke the EPG function. The information about the future television program is retrieved from the file about the current television program in the database. The EPG function is executed with the retrieved information.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2004Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Index Systems, Inc.Inventors: Henry C. Yuen, Thomas E. Ward, Eric Shalkey, P. Christopher Shoaff
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Publication number: 20140089980Abstract: A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement. In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2013Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Ronald Alexander, Stephen Dias, Kenneth S. Hancock, Elsie Y. Leung, Douglas B. Macrae, Arthur Y. Ng, Shawn P. O'Neil, P. Christopher Shoaff, Jonathon Sutton, Thomas E. Ward, Thomas E. Westberg, Henry C. Yuen