Patents by Inventor Steve Sheppard

Steve Sheppard 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: 7313811
    Abstract: A residential gateway (RG) for distributing video, data and telephony services to multiple devices within a residence is disclosed. The RG receives signals from a telecommunications network, converts the signals to formats compatible with the multiple devices, and transmits the appropriate signals to the appropriate devices. Optical Remote Control devices (RCs) associated with remotely located televisions (TVs) transmit channel select commands to the RG as optical signals. The optical signals are received by an optical receiver located in close proximity to the remotely located TVs. The optical signal is then converted to an RF signal by an RF transmitter which transmits the RF signal over coaxial cable. A Remote Antennae Module (RAM) extracts the channel select command from the RF signal and provides it to the RG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Steve Sheppard, A. J. McInnis, Charles Eldering, Thomas Eames
  • Patent number: 6978474
    Abstract: A Residential Gateway (RG) for distributing video, data and telephone services to multiple devices within a residence is disclosed. The RG receives signals from a telecommunications network, converts the signals to formats compatible with the multiple devices, and transmits the appropriate signals to the appropriate devices. Wireless remote control devices (RCs) associated with remotely located televisions (TVs) transmit channel select commands to the RG as wireless signals. The wireless signals are received by Remote Antennae Packages (RAPs) coupled to the remotely located TVs. The RAPs transmit the wireless signals over coaxial cable to a Media Interface Device (MID) coupled to the RG. The MID extracts the channel select commands and forwards them to the RG. The MID is also capable of combining and splitting TV signals, and adjusting the impedance of network signals so that they can be transmitted over the coaxial cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Next Level Communications, Inc
    Inventors: Steve Sheppard, William Weeks
  • Publication number: 20030192053
    Abstract: A residential gateway (RG) for distributing video, data and telephony services to multiple devices within a residence is disclosed. The RG receives signals from a telecommunications network, converts the signals to formats compatible with the multiple devices, and transmits the appropriate signals to the appropriate devices. Wireless remote control devices associated with remotely located televisions (TVs) transmit channel select commands as wireless signals to the RG. The wireless signals are received by a Remote Antennae Package (RAP) that transmits the wireless signal over cable. A Remote Antennae Module (RAM) receives the wireless signal and extracts the channel select command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Applicant: NEXT LEVEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Steve Sheppard, James L. Swisher, Charles Eldering, Thomas Eames