Robert E Booth

US Patent:

6345307, Feb 5, 2002

Filed:

Nov 12, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/439026

Inventors:

Robert Charles Booth - Jamison PA

Assignee:

General Instrument Corporation - Horsham PA

International Classification:

G06F 1300

US Classification:

709247

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for compressing Internet protocol messages, such as HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP) messages. Codewords ( ) are provided for commonly occurring HTTP data elements, such as request lines, header lines, status lines, or portions thereof, such as method fields, URL fields, version fields, and status codes or messages. The codewords are used to provide a compressed HTTP message with a reduced amount of data relative to ASCII coding. If other data is included with the message, such as an entity body (e. g. , a requested object such as an HTML page), the other data can be coded separately ( ) and recombined ( ) with the codewords for the HTTP data elements. The codewords may have reserved bits for providing specific information about the message. The amount of data that must be communicated, e. g. , to or from a subscriber terminal ( ), is thereby reduced.

US Patent:

6643707, Nov 4, 2003

Filed:

Feb 14, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/503666

Inventors:

Robert C. Booth - Jamison PA

Assignee:

General Instrument Corporation - Horsham PA

International Classification:

G06F 1516

US Classification:

709245, 709201, 709230, 709203

Abstract:

The Domain Name System (DNS), which has been used for mapping names to Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, is adapted to a broadcast environment, such as a broadband cable or satellite television network. A number of master files are stored on a broadcast name server that define zones of domains in a domain name space, which may include a television-related domain, with sub-domains for different service providers (e. g. , ABC, HBO), and a cable domain, with sub-domains for applications, administrative functions and operating system-functions, e. g. , at a set-top terminal. The television sub-domains may have their own sub-domains. For example, âABCâ may have the sub-domains âNEWSâ, âWEATHERâ, and âSPORTS. â The master files are used to form broadcast resource records, which include an identifier for broadcast services (e. g. , âABCâ) or other data sources, and which are transmitted to end user terminal devices periodically, or in response to a query.

US Patent:

6832323, Dec 14, 2004

Filed:

Oct 5, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/679994

Inventors:

Robert Charles Booth - Jamison PA
Donald Tavoletti - Warrington PA
Michael Difiglia - Jenkintown PA

Assignee:

General Instrument Corporation - Horsham PA

International Classification:

G06F 1130

US Classification:

713201, 713200, 709225, 707 9

Abstract:

A system for security and authorization processing in digital terminals. The processing load of a security processor ( ) at the terminal ( ) is reduced by configuring a multiple applications manager (MAM) ( ) to determine if frequently-transmitted application data should be downloaded. The security processor is used by the MAM to build a local virtual application table ( ) that indicates which applications are authorized for downloading. The security processor configures the terminal with an authorization state so that it knows which applications it is authorized to download, i. e. , the applications ( ) whose required authorization state correlate with the terminals configured authorization state. The security processor is accessed when the terminals authorization state changes, or when a required authorization state of an application changes. These events are typically relatively infrequent.

US Patent:

20020032908, Mar 14, 2002

Filed:

Aug 17, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/932289

Inventors:

Robert Booth - Jamison PA, US

Assignee:

General Instrument Corporation - Horsham PA

International Classification:

H04N007/173
G06F003/00
H04N005/445
G06F013/00

US Classification:

725/086000, 725/037000, 725/061000

Abstract:

A system and methods are provided for selecting head-end equipment and services for digital cable service distribution systems. Enhancing CATV service capabilities to include digital services can be expensive, especially since design and configuration of head-end equipment requires a great deal of engineering expertise. The invention improves efficiency by providing an automated rule-based system and method to help ease that task. The invention also functions to present the listing of required components in a Bill of Material (BOM) format that could be implemented with customer specific pricing structures to facilitate purchase requisition and order fulfillment. Another function of the invention is to facilitate mapping between an end-user display channel, a terrestrial broadcast frequency, and a satellite communications frequency. The relationship between services, service providers, and the necessary component configurations are presented in an easily recognizable format, referred to as a “Channel Map.” These features are provided by a user-interface that permits channel assignment and configuration tasks to be performed more easily. Although the invention is presented in the context of a networked solution, the rule-based system could just as well be implemented on a single computer system.

US Patent:

20040073944, Apr 15, 2004

Filed:

Oct 15, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/270998

Inventors:

Robert Booth - Jamison PA, US

Assignee:

General Instrument Corporation - Horsham PA

International Classification:

H04N007/173

US Classification:

725/131000, 725/120000, 725/110000

Abstract:

Server software is utilized as a fundamental building block for the software architecture of digital television terminals (DCTs) and related devices (remote clients). For example, a web page may be stored on a digital terminal for access by a user of a client device to request specific actions to be performed or to request information. The client device communicates user requests to the digital terminal, whereupon an appropriate web page is retrieved by the server software and transmitted to and displayed on the client device. The user may subsequently make a selection via the web page, whereupon the client device sends the request back to the digital terminal. The client device can be used, e.g., to request a specific television channel via a web-type interface, in response to which the server software in the terminal will tune an associated television and return a new web page to the client device, indicating that the channel was successfully tuned.

US Patent:

20040162780, Aug 19, 2004

Filed:

Feb 19, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/368845

Inventors:

Robert Booth - Jamison PA, US

Assignee:

General Instrument Corporation - Horsham PA

International Classification:

G06F017/60

US Classification:

705/050000

Abstract:

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for integrating one-way and two-way security systems to enable secure distribution of services. A decryption device securely receives and decrypts encrypted services from one or more service providers. A consumer device securely communicates with the decryption device. A user interface associated with the consumer device initiates a service request for a requested service from a service provider. In operation, the service request is communicated from the consumer device to the decryption device. The requested service is then acquired by the decryption device as an encrypted requested service. The acquired requested service is then decrypted by the decryption device. The requested service is re-encrypted and securely communicated from the decryption device to the consumer device. The re-encrypted requested service is then decrypted and decoded at the consumer device to provide the requested service.

US Patent:

20070083936, Apr 12, 2007

Filed:

Sep 27, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/236338

Inventors:

Robert Booth - Ivyland PA, US
Richard Rementilla - San Diego CA, US

International Classification:

H04L 9/32

US Classification:

726027000

Abstract:

A method for authorizing use of an information processing feature (“IPF”) () with an information processing device (“IPD”) (). The method includes receiving a data structure (), which includes a first data portion () having information identifying the IPF, identifying a hash algorithm (), and identifying an access condition () usable to provide a logical reference to one or more feature-enabling criteria (). The data structure also includes a second data portion () having information identifying a hash value. The method further includes accessing the feature-enabling criteria, and applying the hash algorithm to at least part of the information in the first data portion to derive the hash value. Based on the derived hash value, authorization to use the IPF with the IPD is obtained.

US Patent:

20080010652, Jan 10, 2008

Filed:

Dec 28, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/616946

Inventors:

Robert C. Booth - Ivyland PA, US

Assignee:

GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION - Horsham PA

International Classification:

H04N 7/16

US Classification:

725 1, 725139, 725142

Abstract:

An arrangement is disclosed for providing an account identifier from a billing system to a controller that is disposed at the headend of a wide area network (“WAN”) that supports a media content distribution service. In illustrative examples, the WAN is a broadband network to which one or more terminal devices such as STBs are coupled. The billing generates a unique household handle (“HHH”), to identify a particular set of STBs that are associated with a subscriber to the service, which is transmitted to the controller. The controller uses the HHH to prepare a terminal association identifier (“TAI”) that is distributed to the associated STBs. An application programming interface (“API”) resident on each STB is arranged to accept input parameters from one or more applications that run on the STB. The input parameter is typically concatenated with the stored TAI and input to a hashing algorithm. The resultant hashed value is returned to an application and is usable as password to secure a local area network to which the STBs are coupled.