Patents by Inventor Richard Westerfer

Richard Westerfer 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).

  • Publication number: 20070120968
    Abstract: System and method for providing personal videotelephony in which a plurality of videophones are connected to a communications network that is configured for transmitted video and audio communications. Each of the videophones typically includes a camera, display device, telephone keypad, speaker and microphone all of which are operatively connected. The videophones further include means for selectably receiving and transmitting signals over the communications network, which signals represent images and/or sound, and for selectably displaying the signals representing any received signals representing the images on the display screen, and for playing any received signals representing the sounds on said speaker. Means are also provided for selectably accessing a remote location, such as, but not limited to, another videophone, using information entered or selected by a user of the videophone, and to retrieve the signals representing the images and sounds being transmitted from the remote location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventors: Hal Krisbergh, Joseph Augenbraun, Randell Jesup, Randall Gort, Maire Reavy, Navneeth Kannan, Whitney Blackmon, Richard Westerfer, David Wachob
  • Publication number: 20070120951
    Abstract: System and method for providing personal videotelephony in which a plurality of videophones are connected to a communications network that is configured for transmitted video and audio communications. Each of the videophones typically includes a camera, display device, telephone keypad, speaker and microphone all of which are operatively connected. The videophones further include means for selectably receiving and transmitting signals over the communications network, which signals represent images and/or sound, and for selectably displaying the signals representing any received signals representing the images on the display screen, and for playing any received signals representing the sounds on said speaker. Means are also provided for selectably accessing a remote location, such as, but not limited to, another videophone, using information entered or selected by a user of the videophone, and to retrieve the signals representing the images and sounds being transmitted from the remote location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventors: Hal Krisbergh, Joseph Augenbraun, Randell Jesup, Randall Gort, Maire Reavy, Navneeth Kannan, Whitney Blackmon, Richard Westerfer, David Wachob
  • Publication number: 20050073574
    Abstract: System and method for providing personal videotelephony in which a plurality of videophones are connected to a communications network that is configured for transmitted video and audio communications. Each of the videophones typically includes a camera, display device, telephone keypad, speaker and microphone all of which are operatively connected. The videophones further include means for selectably receiving and transmitting signals over the communications network, which signals represent images and/or sound, and for selectably displaying the signals representing any received signals representing the images on the display screen, and for playing any received signals representing the sounds on said speaker. Means are also provided for selectably accessing a remote location, such as, but not limited to, another videophone, using information entered or selected by a user of the videophone, and to retrieve the signals representing the images and sounds being transmitted from the remote location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Publication date: April 7, 2005
    Inventors: Hal Krisbergh, Joseph Augenbraun, Randell Jesup, Randall Gort, Maire Reavy, Navneeth Kannan, Whitney Blackmon, Richard Westerfer, David Wachob
  • Patent number: 5287409
    Abstract: In order to defeat pirate descramblers that detect the occurrence of a vertical blanking interval from a gap in timing data provided on the sound carrier of a scrambled television signal, diversionary pulse information is inserted into the sound carrier during the vertical blanking interval. A pirate descrambler that looks for a gap in data transmitted on the sound carrier will then detect a "false" second gap, and incorrectly phase lock its horizontal oscillator to random video instead of to horizontal timing information that is recoverable during the vertical blanking interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Westerfer, Henry S. Landgraf
  • Patent number: 5146496
    Abstract: The scrambling security of a sync suppressed television signal is enhanced by eliminating the fixed time relationship between the normal color burst component and synchronization information in successive lines of the television signal. Transmission of a first plurality of television lines is delayed to achieve a cumulative delay corresponding at least to the duration of a color burst component of the television signal. The transmission of a second plurality of television lines is subsequently accelerated to reduce the cumulative delay. By repeating the delaying and accelerating steps, the location of the color burst component is varied within the television signal over time. Derivation of a substitute horizontal synchronization pulse from the color burst component is thereby prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Westerfer, Clyde Robbins, Anthony M. Radice
  • Patent number: 4712239
    Abstract: A method and apparatus prevent unauthorized programming viewing via a downloadable cable television converter. A booter checksum is computed from data contained in a downloaded booter image. A valid checksum is extracted from tag data associated with a scrambled program signal transmitted on the cable system. The booter checksum is compared to the extracted valid checksum. If the booter checksum and valid checksums match, a descrambler is enabled to descramble the scrambled program signal. If the checksums do not match, the descrambler is not enabled. In this manner, a pirate is prevented from downloading a false booter image to defeat the integrity of the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1987
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: William Frezza, Robert Simons, Richard Westerfer