Patents by Inventor Timothy H. Weaver

Timothy H. Weaver 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: 9894011
    Abstract: Aspects of bandwidth conservation include monitoring, via a processor over a period of time, program state information for content streamed to an electronic device, and accumulating, in a memory device via the processor, inputs received over the period of time from a user of the electronic device. Each of the inputs is correlated to the program state information based on a location in the content at which the corresponding input occurred. Aspects further include identifying patterns of user behavior based on collective correlations between the inputs and the program state information, determining from the patterns a presence or absence of the user at the electronic device with respect to currently streamed content when no inputs are received by the user, and performing a bandwidth control operation with respect to the currently streamed content based on the determined presence or absence of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Timothy H. Weaver, Albert Whited
  • Patent number: 9432710
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for conserving bandwidth. A notification is received from a customer's device that indicates media will be recorded/saved to memory. The available bandwidth is compared to required bandwidth to deliver the media to the customer's device. When the required bandwidth exceeds the available bandwidth, then delivery of the media is deferred to a period of lesser demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Peter N. Hill, Timothy H. Weaver
  • Publication number: 20160043964
    Abstract: Aspects of bandwidth conservation include monitoring, via a processor over a period of time, program state information for content streamed to an electronic device, and accumulating, in a memory device via the processor, inputs received over the period of time from a user of the electronic device. Each of the inputs is correlated to the program state information based on a location in the content at which the corresponding input occurred. Aspects further include identifying patterns of user behavior based on collective correlations between the inputs and the program state information, determining from the patterns a presence or absence of the user at the electronic device with respect to currently streamed content when no inputs are received by the user, and performing a bandwidth control operation with respect to the currently streamed content based on the determined presence or absence of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy H. Weaver, Albert Whited
  • Patent number: 9166898
    Abstract: Aspects of bandwidth conservation include accumulating, in a memory device, inputs received over time and identifying a historical pattern from the inputs. The historical pattern includes a channel change operation when data streamed over a network and received is a commercial. Aspects also include determining whether a next input is expected for currently streamed data. The determining is in response to the historical pattern and whether the currently streamed data is commercial-free content. Aspects further include predicting that the user is not present at an electronic device if the next input to the user interface is expected and is not received, predicting that the user is present and the next input is not expected if the currently streamed data is the commercial-free content, and conserving bandwidth, with respect to the currently streamed data, in response to predicting that the user is not present at the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Timothy H. Weaver, Albert Whited
  • Publication number: 20140181850
    Abstract: Aspects of bandwidth conservation include accumulating, in a memory device, inputs received over time and identifying a historical pattern from the inputs. The historical pattern includes a channel change operation when data streamed over a network and received is a commercial. Aspects also include determining whether a next input is expected for currently streamed data. The determining is in response to the historical pattern and whether the currently streamed data is commercial-free content. Aspects further include predicting that the user is not present at an electronic device if the next input to the user interface is expected and is not received, predicting that the user is present and the next input is not expected if the currently streamed data is the commercial-free content, and conserving bandwidth, with respect to the currently streamed data, in response to predicting that the user is not present at the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Timothy H. Weaver, Albert Whited
  • Patent number: 8701148
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for conserving bandwidth. Inputs to a user interface are accumulated and compared to a historical pattern of inputs. When inputs are accumulated, the method predicts that a user is present. When inputs are expected, but no inputs are received, then the method predicts that no user is present. Actions are them implemented to and conserve bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Timothy H. Weaver, Albert Whited
  • Patent number: 8682857
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and products are disclosed for recording media. An input is received via a user interface to record media. An entry is created in a recording schedule to record the media. The recording schedule is sent to a restoration server, such that the recording schedule is mirrored to the restoration server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Timothy H. Weaver
  • Patent number: 8621500
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for conserving bandwidth. A user's bandwidth consumption is monitored and compared to a threshold value. When the user's bandwidth consumption equals or exceeds the threshold value, then behavior is incentivized that reduces the user's bandwidth consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Timothy H. Weaver, Albert Whited
  • Patent number: 8364921
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and products are disclosed for recording media. An input is received via a user interface to record media. An entry is created in a recording schedule to record the media. The recording schedule is sent to a restoration server, such that the recording schedule is mirrored to the restoration server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Timothy H. Weaver
  • Patent number: 8291182
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and products are disclosed for recording media. An input is received via a user interface to record media. An entry is created in a recording schedule to record the media. The recording schedule is sent to a restoration server, such that the recording schedule is mirrored to the restoration server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Timothy H. Weaver
  • Patent number: 8245267
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and products are disclosed for recording media. A network command message is received that identifies media to be recorded by a user's device. The network command message was sent on behalf of a provider and comprises the provider's instruction to have the user's device record the media. An entry is created in a recording schedule to record the media. The media is received and recorded such that the provider schedules recording of the media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Timothy H. Weaver
  • Patent number: 8150845
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and products are provided for targeting media. Descriptive information is received that describes media. The descriptive information is compared to a stored set of user-defined criteria. If the descriptive information contains any criterion, the media is stored in memory, and the stored media is targeted to a user's communications device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Timothy H. Weaver
  • Publication number: 20120079520
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for conserving bandwidth. A user's bandwidth consumption is monitored and compared to a threshold value. When the user's bandwidth consumption equals or exceeds the threshold value, then behavior is incentivized that reduces the user's bandwidth consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. via transfer from BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy H. Weaver, Albert Whited
  • Patent number: 8104054
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for conserving bandwidth. A user's bandwidth consumption is monitored and compared to a threshold value. When the user's bandwidth consumption equals or exceeds the threshold value, then behavior is incentivized that reduces the user's bandwidth consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Timothy H. Weaver, Albert Whited
  • Patent number: 8069152
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and products restore damaged or corrupt media files. A user's media catalog is received and stored in a database of media catalogs. When restoration is desired, the user's media catalog is retrieved that describes an identity of a media file to be restored. The database of media catalogs is queried for another media catalog that describes the same identity of the media file. A communications address associated with the another media catalog is retrieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property l, L. P.
    Inventor: Timothy H. Weaver
  • Patent number: 8037499
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer products for recording of repeated programs. Exemplary embodiments include a recording of a repeated program method, including receiving a recording request for a first program from a communications device, the recording request having a specified recording time, determining that the specified recording time is during a peak time, determining an alternate recording time for the recording request, sending a message to the communications device that there is the alternate recording time to record the first program, delivering the first program to the communications device for the specified recording time in response to receiving a rejection of the alternate recording time and delivering the first program to the communications device for the alternate recording time in response to receiving an acceptance of the alternate recording time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Timothy H. Weaver
  • Patent number: 7912309
    Abstract: Variable video stream delivery tools include methods and systems that detect activation of a zoom command during presentation of a first stream of data to a multimedia device and that supplants a second stream of data having a higher resolution for a zoomed image plane of the first stream of data in order to conserve bandwidth. Further exemplary embodiments detect activation of a rotational command and that refreshes the second stream of data with a zoomed, spherical-panorama presentation. And, further exemplary embodiments enable restoration of the first stream of data. These tools may be utilized during presentation of media content, when the media content is initially ordered, or when future presentation of media content is selected to record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Timothy H. Weaver
  • Publication number: 20100214484
    Abstract: Variable video stream delivery tools include methods and systems that detect activation of a zoom command during presentation of a first stream of data to a multimedia device and that supplants a second stream of data having a higher resolution for a zoomed image plane of the first stream of data in order to conserve bandwidth. Further exemplary embodiments detect activation of a rotational command and that refreshes the second stream of data with a zoomed, spherical-panorama presentation. And, further exemplary embodiments enable restoration of the first stream of data. These tools may be utilized during presentation of media content, when the media content is initially ordered, or when future presentation of media content is selected to record.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. f/k/a BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy H. Weaver
  • Patent number: 7769240
    Abstract: Variable video stream delivery tools include methods and systems that detect activation of a zoom command during presentation of a first stream of data to a multimedia device and that selectively supplants a second stream of data having a higher resolution for a zoomed image plane of the first stream of data in order to conserve bandwidth. Further exemplary embodiments detect activation of a rotational command and that refreshes the second stream of data with a zoomed, spherical-panorama presentation. And, further exemplary embodiments enable restoration of the first stream of data. These tools may be utilized during presentation of media content, when the media content is initially ordered, or when future presentation of media content is selected to record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property, I, L.P.
    Inventor: Timothy H. Weaver
  • Publication number: 20100185613
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and products are disclosed for targeting media. Descriptive information is received that describes media. The descriptive information is compared to a stored set of user-defined criteria. If the descriptive information contains any criterion, then the media is stored in memory, wherein the stored media is targeted to a user's communications device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. f/k/a BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy H. Weaver