Patents by Inventor Thomas L. Du Breuil
Thomas L. Du Breuil 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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Patent number: 11908340Abstract: A method for modifying a video stream for display includes receiving a request to display a video stream in a display mode that facilitates viewing by visually impaired viewers. An unmodified region of interest (ROI) is identified in a current video frame of the video stream. A location of the unmodified ROI is tracked in each of the subsequent video frames. The unmodified ROI is magnified by a prescribed amount in at least some of the video frames in which the unmodified ROI is being tracked to produce a magnified ROI. For each of the video frames in which the unmodified ROI is being tracked and magnified, the magnified ROI is combined with at least a portion of the video frame in which the ROI is located to thereby produce a modified video stream.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2020Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLCInventor: Thomas L. Du Breuil
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Publication number: 20230327970Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for determining the amount of latency between a video core and a remote device by inserting null packets in a data stream between the video core and the remote device, the null packets including respective time stamps demarking respective times of departure from the video core.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2023Publication date: October 12, 2023Applicant: ARRIS Enterprises LLCInventors: Thomas L. DU BREUIL, Robert S. Heiman, Joseph Wilson MONACO
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Patent number: 11622144Abstract: Methods and systems to manage narrowcast bandwidth are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a channel tune request from a set top box associated with a service group, and determining whether current total bandwidth use by the service group is at or above a first predetermined threshold. The method additionally includes multicasting a high bitrate version of a requested channel to the set top boxes of the service group when the current total bandwidth use by the service group is below the first predetermined threshold. The requested channel corresponds to the received channel tune request. The method further includes multicasting a low bitrate version of the requested channel to the set top boxes of the service group when the current total bandwidth use by the service group is at or above the first predetermined threshold.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2020Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLCInventors: Robert S. Heiman, Thomas L. du Breuil
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Publication number: 20230021164Abstract: Advertisement preparation methods and systems are shown and disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes reviewing metadata of an advertisement. The metadata includes duration information for the advertisement, and determining actual duration of the advertisement. The method additionally includes determining whether the duration information matches the actual duration of the advertisement, and editing the advertisement when the duration information does not match the actual duration such that the actual duration of the edited advertisement matches the duration information.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Applicant: ARRIS Enterprises LLCInventor: Thomas L. du Breuil
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Patent number: 11477540Abstract: Advertisement preparation methods and systems are shown and disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes reviewing metadata of an advertisement. The metadata includes duration information for the advertisement, and determining actual duration of the advertisement. The method additionally includes determining whether the duration information matches the actual duration of the advertisement, and editing the advertisement when the duration information does not match the actual duration such that the actual duration of the edited advertisement matches the duration information.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2021Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLCInventor: Thomas L. du Breuil
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Publication number: 20210306718Abstract: Advertisement preparation methods and systems are shown and disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes reviewing metadata of an advertisement. The metadata includes duration information for the advertisement, and determining actual duration of the advertisement. The method additionally includes determining whether the duration information matches the actual duration of the advertisement, and editing the advertisement when the duration information does not match the actual duration such that the actual duration of the edited advertisement matches the duration information.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Applicant: ARRIS Enterprises LLCInventor: Thomas L. du Breuil
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Publication number: 20210160559Abstract: Methods and systems to manage narrowcast bandwidth are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a channel tune request from a set top box associated with a service group, and determining whether current total bandwidth use by the service group is at or above a first predetermined threshold. The method additionally includes multicasting a high bitrate version of a requested channel to the set top boxes of the service group when the current total bandwidth use by the service group is below the first predetermined threshold. The requested channel corresponds to the received channel tune request. The method further includes multicasting a low bitrate version of the requested channel to the set top boxes of the service group when the current total bandwidth use by the service group is at or above the first predetermined threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2020Publication date: May 27, 2021Applicant: ARRIS Enterprises LLCInventors: Robert S. Heiman, Thomas L. du Breuil
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Patent number: 10945005Abstract: A method is provided for presenting a program having a selected program rating when a user request is received through a client device to present a program at a selected program rating level. A version of the program is selected from among a plurality of different versions which corresponds to the selected program rating level. The selected version of the program is caused to be presented on a display device associated with the client device.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2018Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLCInventors: Michael R. Kahn, Thomas L. Du Breuil
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Publication number: 20210029306Abstract: A method for modifying a video stream for display includes receiving a request to display a video stream in a display mode that facilitates viewing by visually impaired viewers. An unmodified region of interest (ROI) is identified in a current video frame of the video stream. A location of the unmodified ROI is tracked in each of the subsequent video frames. The unmodified ROI is magnified by a prescribed amount in at least some of the video frames in which the unmodified ROI is being tracked to produce a magnified ROI. For each of the video frames in which the unmodified ROI is being tracked and magnified, the magnified ROI is combined with at least a portion of the video frame in which the ROI is located to thereby produce a modified video stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2020Publication date: January 28, 2021Inventor: Thomas L. Du Breuil
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Publication number: 20200186851Abstract: A method is provided for presenting a program having a selected program rating when a user request is received through a client device to present a program at a selected program rating level. A version of the program is selected from among a plurality of different versions which corresponds to the selected program rating level. The selected version of the program is caused to be presented on a display device associated with the client device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2018Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventors: Michael R. Kahn, Thomas L. Du Breuil
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Patent number: 10659828Abstract: A system for delivering content is provided that uses switched digital video (SDV), adaptive bit rate (ABR) streaming techniques and an ABR to Legacy Transport Stream (ALTS) converter for converting the ABR streams to a QAM-based transport stream, all under control of the SDV session manager. In operation, the SDV system can be used to select an ABR profile for a service that is destined for a QAM set top terminal based on the currently available bandwidth. Moreover, the ABR profile may be changed upward (i.e., a profile requiring a greater bandwidth) or downward (i.e., a profile requiring less bandwidth) on a dynamic basis as the number of requested services changes.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2018Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLCInventors: Thomas L. Du Breuil, Robert S. Heiman
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Publication number: 20190364330Abstract: A method is provided that broadcasts channels to set top boxes (STB), processes them, and makes them available in ABR streaming format to clients in a home network. The method includes the steps of: transmitting a plurality of streams for each channel broadcast, wherein each stream is at a different bitrate and is segmentable into chunks; receiving the plurality of streams for one or more channels at the STB; and storing a plurality of segmentable chunk durations for each of the plurality of streams for each channel received. In some embodiments, HLS is packaged as MPEG transport without a manifest file, and a set top box (STB) caches HLS chunks for at least the consumer's most viewed channels, reducing acquisition time of those HLS streams. The STB reconstitutes the HLS playlist and chunks for delivery throughout the home.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2019Publication date: November 28, 2019Inventors: Paul Moroney, Thomas L. Du Breuil
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Publication number: 20190191197Abstract: A system for delivering content is provided that uses switched digital video (SDV), adaptive bit rate (ABR) streaming techniques and an ABR to Legacy Transport Stream (ALTS) converter for converting the ABR streams to a QAM-based transport stream, all under control of the SDV session manager. In operation, the SDV system can be used to select an ABR profile for a service that is destined for a QAM set top terminal based on the currently available bandwidth. Moreover, the ABR profile may be changed upward (i.e., a profile requiring a greater bandwidth) or downward (i.e., a profile requiring less bandwidth) on a dynamic basis as the number of requested services changes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2018Publication date: June 20, 2019Inventors: Thomas L. Du Breuil, Robert S. Heiman
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Patent number: 10250949Abstract: In embodiments of broadcast content to HTTP client conversion, a client converter receives video content as an input of broadcast content data streams from a content distribution system. The client converter can join a content data stream of the broadcast input, and convert the content data stream to unicast HTTP data, such as video content segments that are buffered for communication to a client device or to a media player of a client device. An HTTP server of the client converter can then communicate the unicast HTTP data to the client device or to the media player for playback of the video content.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2015Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLCInventors: Ajay K. Luthra, Praveen N. Moorthy, Mark S. Schmidt, Haifeng Xu, Thomas L. du Breuil, Glen Peter Goffin, II
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Publication number: 20180338168Abstract: A method is provided for providing splice points in a video stream for encoding the video. The primary video stream has one or more splice points denoted therein at which a secondary video stream is to be inserted. The primary stream is encoded using a model of a hypothetical decoder input buffer that assigns a predetermined buffer occupancy level to the hypothetical decoder input buffer at each of the splice points.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2018Publication date: November 22, 2018Inventor: Thomas L. Du Breuil
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Patent number: 10061904Abstract: There is a performing of digital rights management (DRM), operable in an offline mode with respect to a communications network. The performing includes identifying a stored rights object associated with a stored asset. The stored rights object includes reporting duration information associated with the stored asset. The performing also includes determining, utilizing a processor, whether a transmission of an early status message is a successful communication based on an early status message determination. If a failure in communicating the early status message is determined, utilizing the stored asset. The performing may also include transmitting an early status message and/or later status message after identifying the stored rights object. There is also a performing of digital rights management (DRM) associated with a DRM system and operable in an offline mode with respect to a communications network. There are also client devices, communicating systems, computer readable mediums and protocols.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2015Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLCInventors: Nicol C. So, Thomas L. Du Breuil, Barry P. Falvo, Rama Raju Kaldindi, Ambikacharan P. Makam, Geetha Mangalore, Paul Moroney
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Patent number: 10003860Abstract: A method and apparatus for an adaptive bit rate system. The method may include streaming media content at a server, determining a discontinuity in the streaming media content based on boundaries corresponding to changes in the streaming media content, and dividing the streaming media content into a plurality of variable duration segments, wherein a duration of one of the plurality of variable duration segments is to be adjusted based on the determined discontinuity to cause the one of the plurality of variable duration segments to end at the determined discontinuity in the streaming media content. The method may further include transmitting the plurality of variable duration segments of the streaming media content from the server.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2015Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLCInventors: Sean T. McCarthy, Thomas L. Du Breuil, Gary Hughes, Mark R. Magee, Wendell Sun
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Patent number: 9794562Abstract: A method of processing a video transport stream includes receiving a video transport stream and identifying at least one portion of the video transport stream that is not to undergo modification when processed by a rate shaping device. An indicator is inserted into the video transport stream. The indicator is used to signal the statistical multiplexer that the at least one portion of the video transport stream is not to be modified when the video transport stream is processed by the rate shaping device.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2009Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Mark E. Gregotski, Thomas L. Du Breuil, Fabrice M. Quinard
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Patent number: 9591363Abstract: A method includes: storing, via a network storage device, information related to the playback history of a content playing device; receiving, via a network digital video recorder scheduler, a request to record requested content; receiving, via a network digital video recorder, the requested content in a first format and the requested content in a second format; and storing, via the network digital video recorder, only one of the requested content in the first format or the requested content in a second format based on the information related to the playback history.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2014Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: David M Bjordammen, Thomas L Du Breuil
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Patent number: 9336365Abstract: There is a performing of digital rights management (DRM), operable in an offline mode with respect to a communications network. The performing includes identifying a stored rights object associated with a stored asset. The stored rights object includes reporting duration information associated with the stored asset. The performing also includes determining, utilizing a processor, whether a transmission of an early status message is a successful communication based on an early status message determination. If a failure in communicating the early status message is determined, utilizing the stored asset. The performing may also include transmitting an early status message and/or later status message after identifying the stored rights object. There is also a performing of digital rights management (DRM) associated with a DRM system and operable in an offline mode with respect to a communications network. There are also client devices, communicating systems, computer readable mediums and protocols.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2014Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLCInventors: Nicol C. So, Thomas L. Du Breuil, Barry P. Falvo, Rama Raju Kaldindi, Ambikacharan P. Makam, Geetha Mangalore, Paul Moroney