Patents by Inventor Tobie LaRocca

Tobie LaRocca 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: 20150150058
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing subscription-on-demand (SOD) services for a interactive information distribution system, where a consumer may subscribe to packages of on-demand programs for a single price and view the programs in the subscribed package at any time for no additional cost. The apparatus and method are embodied in a combination of software, which provides a so called navigator, and hardware, including a subscriber terminal that provides certain functionality for the navigator and service provider equipment that supports the functionality of the terminal. As such, graphical user interface functionality is distributed between the service provider equipment and subscriber equipment (subscriber terminal). Such distribution provides an enjoyable, real time interactive process for accessing SOD services that allows the subscriber to rapidly identify and access a subscription service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS OPERATING, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Goode, Donald F. Gordon, Tobie LaRocca, Phillip A. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8904452
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing subscription-on-demand (SOD) services for a interactive information distribution system, where a consumer may subscribe to packages of on-demand programs for a single price and view the programs in the subscribed package at any time for no additional cost. The apparatus and method are embodied in a combination of software, which provides a so called navigator, and hardware, including a subscriber terminal that provides certain functionality for the navigator and service provider equipment that supports the functionality of the terminal. As such, graphical user interface functionality is distributed between the service provider equipment and subscriber equipment (subscriber terminal). Such distribution provides an enjoyable, real time interactive process for accessing SOD services that allows the subscriber to rapidly identify and access a subscription service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Charter Communications Operating, LLC
    Inventors: Christoper Goode, Donald F. Gordon, Tobie LaRocca, Phillip A. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8001560
    Abstract: A method for providing subscription-on-demand services for video-on-demand programs within an interactive information distribution system. The method includes associating a plurality of video-on-demand programming packages as a programming bundle and identifying a number of video-on-demand programming packages within the programming bundle that a subscriber has subscribed. When the number of video-on-demand programming packages exceeds a pre-specified number of programming packages, the subscriber is automatically subscribed to all the video-on-demand programming packages in the programming bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobie LaRocca, Michael D. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20100251311
    Abstract: A method for providing subscription-on-demand services for video-on-demand programs within an interactive information distribution system. The method includes associating a plurality of video-on-demand programming packages as a programming bundle and identifying a number of video-on-demand programming packages within the programming bundle that a subscriber has subscribed. When the number of video-on-demand programming packages exceeds a pre-specified number of programming packages, the subscriber is automatically subscribed to all the video-on-demand programming packages in the programming bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobie LaRocca, Michael D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7735106
    Abstract: A method for providing subscription-on-demand services for video-on-demand programs within an interactive information distribution system. The method includes associating a plurality of video-on-demand programming packages as a programming bundle and identifying a number of video-on-demand programming packages within the programming bundle that a subscriber has subscribed. When the number of video-on-demand programming packages exceeds a pre-specified number of programming packages, the subscriber is automatically subscribed to all the video-on-demand programming packages in the programming bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobie LaRocca, Michael D. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20080013536
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transport encoded asset data and content data, multiplexing the transport encoded content data with a plurality of NULL transport packets to provide “place holder” for the asset data transport packets, and replacing the NULL transport packets with asset data transport packets prior to transmitting the multiplexed transport stream to a set top box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Bertram, Tobie LaRocca
  • Publication number: 20050129067
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transport encoded asset data and content data, multiplexing the transport encoded content data with a plurality of NULL transport packets to provide “place holder” for the asset data transport packets, and replacing the NULL transport packets with asset data transport packets prior to transmitting the multiplexed transport stream to a set top box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Bertram, Tobie LaRocca
  • Publication number: 20040083492
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing subscription-on-demand (SOD) services for a interactive information distribution system, where a consumer may subscribe to packages of on-demand programs for a single price and view the programs in the subscribed package at any time for no additional cost. The apparatus and method are embodied in a combination of software, which provides a so called navigator, and hardware, including a subscriber terminal that provides certain functionality for the navigator and service provider equipment that supports the functionality of the terminal. As such, graphical user interface functionality is distributed between the service provider equipment and subscriber equipment (subscriber terminal). Such distribution provides an enjoyable, real time interactive process for accessing SOD services that allows the subscriber to rapidly identify and access a subscription service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Christopher Goode, Donald F. Gordon, Tobie LaRocca, Phillip A. Thomas
  • Patent number: 6684400
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing subscription-on-demand (SOD) services for a interactive information distribution system, where a consumer may subscribe to packages of on-demand programs for a single price and view the programs in the subscribed package at any time for no additional cost. The apparatus and method are embodied in a combination of software, which provides a so called navigator, and hardware, including a subscriber terminal that provides certain functionality for the navigator and service provider equipment that supports the functionality of the terminal. As such, graphical user interface functionality is distributed between the service provider equipment and subscriber equipment (subscriber terminal). Such distribution provides an enjoyable, real time interactive process for accessing SOD services that allows the subscriber to rapidly identify and access a subscription service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: DIVA Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Goode, Donald F. Gordon, Tobie LaRocca, Phillip A. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20020023268
    Abstract: A method for providing subscription-on-demand services for video-on-demand programs within an interactive information distribution system. The method includes associating a plurality of video-on-demand programming packages as a programming bundle and identifying a number of video-on-demand programming packages within the programming bundle that a subscriber has subscribed. When the number of video-on-demand programming packages exceeds a pre-specified number of programming packages, the subscriber is automatically subscribed to all the video-on-demand programming packages in the programming bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventors: Tobie LaRocca, Michael D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6314572
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing subscription-on-demand (SOD) services, dependent subscription services and contingent services for a interactive information distribution system, where a consumer may subscribe to packages of on-demand programs for a single price and view the programs in the subscribed package at any time for no additional cost. The apparatus and method are embodied in a combination of software, which provides a so-called navigator, and hardware, including a subscriber terminal that provides certain functionality for the navigator and service provider equipment that supports the functionality of the terminal. As such, graphical user interface functionality is distributed between the service provider equipment and subscriber equipment (subscriber terminal). Such distribution provides an enjoyable, real time interactive process for accessing SOD services that allows the subscriber to rapidly identify and access a subscription service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: DIVA Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Tobie LaRocca, Michael D. Johnson