Stephen Lee Maynard

US Patent:

7450134, Nov 11, 2008

Filed:

Nov 18, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/992628

Inventors:

Stephen L. Maynard - Arvada CO, US
John Callahan - Broomfield CO, US
Ben Payne - Westminster CO, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable Inc. - Stamford CT

International Classification:

G06T 9/00
G09G 5/02
H04N 7/26

US Classification:

345589, 345600, 345606, 345547, 345549, 3483931, 348557, 348568, 382166, 382232, 382233, 37524025

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for generating images, compressing image data, decompressing image data, and processing the decompressed image data so that it can be used by a rendering circuit of a device, e. g. , a set top box, are described. Images are generated in the native format used by the rendering circuit of the device which will ultimately control the display of the image avoiding the need to perform processing associated with converting color component information from one format to another. Uncompressed image data is arranged in a file with color component values being grouped separately from alpha values to facilitate compression by a standard file compression technique. The file is compressed using a conventional file compression operation. The compressed image file is decompressed when needed and the alpha data and color component data is reorganized so that the color component values and alpha value(s) corresponding to individual pixels are grouped together.

US Patent:

7500235, Mar 3, 2009

Filed:

Sep 5, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/655655

Inventors:

Stephen L. Maynard - Arvada CO, US
Jed A. Reed - Westminster CO, US
John W. Callahan - Broomfield CO, US
Benjamin L. Payne - Westminster CO, US

Assignee:

AOL Time Warner Interactive Video Group, Inc. - Ny NY

International Classification:

G06F 9/44

US Classification:

717172, 717171, 717173

Abstract:

A resident application (RA) in set-top terminals (STTs) is updated by providing an upgrade channel application (UCA) over a network. Those STTs that are selected to receive the UCA are identified. The selected STTs download the UCA from the network. Once the UCA begins to execute on an STT, it retrieves the user parameters stored in the STT, and transmits them to a remote location for storage. A new RA is then installed in the STT. The original user parameters are converted at the remote location to become compatible with the new RA. The converted user parameters are transferred to the STT for use by the new RA.

US Patent:

7509663, Mar 24, 2009

Filed:

Feb 14, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/057749

Inventors:

Stephen L. Maynard - Arvada CO, US
Joseph M. Hassell - Thornton CO, US
John W. Callahan - Broomfield CO, US
Tho T. Autruong - Boulder CO, US
Vitaly Shoykhet - Broomfield CO, US
Karla J. Towne - Highlands Ranch CO, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable, Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04H 60/33

US Classification:

725 10, 725 34

Abstract:

A favorites list of program channels which a cable TV user likely prefers is generated automatically, from which the user may select a program channel to watch. Each program channel in the favorites list is identified based on a measure of the duration in which the program channel is continuously tuned to. In an embodiment, this measure varies nonlinearly with such a duration. The favorites list may further comprise sublists of program channels which may correspond to different periods of a day, week, etc.

US Patent:

7864190, Jan 4, 2011

Filed:

Nov 10, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/268407

Inventors:

Stephen L. Maynard - Arvada CO, US
John Callahan - Broomfield CO, US
Ben Payne - Westminster CO, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable Inc. - Stamford CT

International Classification:

G06T 9/00
G09G 5/02
H04N 7/26

US Classification:

345592, 345589, 345555, 382162, 382166, 382232, 382244, 348568, 707 1, 707 7

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for generating images, compressing image data, decompressing image data, and processing the decompressed image data so that it can be used by a rendering circuit of a device, e. g. , a set top box, are described. Images are generated in the native format used by the rendering circuit of the device which will ultimately control the display of the image avoiding the need to perform processing associated with converting color component information from one format to another. Uncompressed image data is arranged in a file with color component values being grouped separately from alpha values to facilitate compression by a standard file compression technique. The file is compressed using a conventional file compression operation. The compressed image file is decompressed when needed and the alpha data and color component data is reorganized so that the color component values and alpha value(s) corresponding to individual pixels are grouped together.

US Patent:

7954128, May 31, 2011

Filed:

Feb 11, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/056625

Inventors:

Stephen L. Maynard - Arvada CO, US
Tho Autruong - Boulder CO, US
John Callahan - Broomfield CO, US
Nicholas Nielsen - Erie CO, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04N 7/173
H04N 5/783

US Classification:

725 88, 725102, 386343, 386350

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for performing dynamic compensation for delays over extant infrastructure within a content-based network. In one embodiment, the network comprises a cable network, and the infrastructure comprises that nominally used for on-demand (OD) services such as VOD. The method includes periodically or situationally assessing variable delays within the system associated with functional commands (such as “trick mode” commands), and dynamically compensating for these variable delays in order to improve the accuracy and timeliness of the user's trick mode command. This approach increases user satisfaction, and obviates the issuance of additional compensatory trick mode commands that only further degrade the performance of the network.

US Patent:

7987477, Jul 26, 2011

Filed:

Feb 20, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/389724

Inventors:

Stephen L. Maynard - Arvada CO, US
Joseph M. Hassell - Thornton CO, US
John W. Callahan - Broomfield CO, US
Tho T. Autruong - Boulder CO, US
Vitaly Shoykhet - Broomfield CO, US
Karla J. Towne - Highlands Ranch CO, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable, Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04H 60/33

US Classification:

725 10, 725 9, 725 13, 725 14, 725 34, 725 46

Abstract:

A favorites list of program channels which a cable TV user likely prefers is generated automatically from which the user may select a program channel to watch. Each program channel in the favorites list is identified based on a measure of the duration in which the program channel is continuously tuned to. In an embodiment, this measure varies nonlinearly with such a duration. The favorites list may further comprise sublists of program channels which may correspond to different periods of a day, week, etc. The favorites list may be generated from programs watched on multiple viewing devices.

US Patent:

20090183219, Jul 16, 2009

Filed:

Mar 2, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/396452

Inventors:

Stephen L Maynard - Arvada CO, US
Jed A. Reed - Westminster CO, US
John W. Callahan - Broomfield CO, US
Benjamin L. Payne - Westminster CO, US

International Classification:

H04N 7/173
G06F 9/445

US Classification:

725116, 725115, 725132, 717173, 725120

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus related to updating a resident application (RA) and replacing an updated resident application with a previous version of a resident application are described. The methods and apparatus may be used for updating and replacing resident applications in set-top terminals (STTs) of a cable system including a cable network headend.

US Patent:

20110231883, Sep 22, 2011

Filed:

May 27, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/117851

Inventors:

Stephen L. Maynard - Arvada CO, US
Tho Autruong - Boulder CO, US
John Callahan - Broomfield CO, US
Nicholas Nielsen - Erie CO, US

International Classification:

H04N 7/173

US Classification:

725 88

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for performing dynamic compensation for delays over extant infrastructure within a content-based network. In one embodiment, the network comprises a cable network, and the infrastructure comprises that nominally used for on-demand (OD) services such as VOD. The method includes periodically or situationally assessing variable delays within the system associated with functional commands (such as “trick mode” commands), and dynamically compensating for these variable delays in order to improve the accuracy and timeliness of the user's trick mode command. This approach increases user satisfaction, and obviates the issuance of additional compensatory trick mode commands that only further degrade the performance of the network.