William Samuel Helms

US Patent:

7602820, Oct 13, 2009

Filed:

Feb 1, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/048334

Inventors:

William L. Helms - Longmont CO, US
Paul D. Brooks - Weddington NC, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04J 3/04
H04J 3/16
H04J 3/22
H04J 3/18
H04J 3/02

US Classification:

370535, 370465, 370477, 370539

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for performing multiplexing of video or other content (e. g. , programs) within a network using feed-back from a subsequent digital program insertion stage, and/or feed-forward information from a prior multiplexing stage. In one embodiment, the network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) cable network having headend and hub-based statistical multiplexing stages, and communication between the two stages is used to improve the visual quality performance and bandwidth utilization of the output multi-program stream during conditions where downstream content is inserted into the transport stream. Business methods associated with the various multiplexing features described above are also disclosed.

US Patent:

7716700, May 11, 2010

Filed:

Nov 25, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/303290

Inventors:

John Carlucci - Boulder CO, US
William Helms - Longmont CO, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Interactive Video Group Inc. - Stamford CT

International Classification:

H04N 7/10
H04N 7/025
H04N 7/173
G06F 3/00

US Classification:

725 32, 725 36, 725105, 725114, 725115, 725116, 715723

Abstract:

Although personal video recorders (also known as digital video recorders) provide certain conveniences to viewers of programming content, such devices facilitate manipulation or “skipping” of commercials, frustrating the intent of the advertisers of the commercials. In accordance with the invention, when a user fast-forwards (rewinds) a commercial, alternate commercial(s) may be accessed for display in place of the original commercial, which provides a full impression of the goods and service promoted, otherwise impossible to appreciate at the fast-forward (rewind) speed. The duration of the alternate commercial(s) corresponds to the duration of the original commercial at the fast-forward (rewind) speed controlled by the user. With the invention, the user advantageously realizes the convenience of manipulating programming content, and at the same time can appreciate the full impression of an alternate commercial to the original commercial, albeit in a shorter duration.

US Patent:

7716702, May 11, 2010

Filed:

Jun 10, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/865472

Inventors:

William Helms - Longmont CO, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable, Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

G06F 13/00
G06F 3/00
H04N 7/16

US Classification:

725 41, 725 39, 725 42, 725 44, 725 47, 725 80, 725131, 725139, 348441, 348556, 348558, 348581, 345699

Abstract:

A system and method are provided for delivering data including graphical components to user terminals through a communications network, e. g. , a cable TV network. In one embodiment, multiple versions of a graphical component of a program guide, each formatted for a respective aspect ratio of a user's TV, are generated. On the other hand, a single version of non-graphical program guide data may also be generated. A data stream containing the non-graphical data and the multiple versions of the graphical component is transmitted to set-top terminals in the network via a transmission channel. If a graphical component is desired, the set-top terminal retrieves from the data stream a selected version of the graphical component that is compatible with the aspect ratio of the TV to which it is connected.

US Patent:

7774818, Aug 10, 2010

Filed:

Nov 8, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/983378

Inventors:

William Helms - Longmont CO, US
Michael T. Hayashi - Evergreen CO, US
Paul D. Brooks - Weddington NC, US
Douglas Semon - Denver CO, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable, Inc. - Stamford CT

International Classification:

H04N 7/173

US Classification:

725 95, 725 86, 725 87, 725 91, 725 96, 725 98, 725126

Abstract:

To effectively utilize the bandwidth of a cable TV network, which is limited, analog TV program material is digitized and compressed before its transmission over the network. The resulting signals consume only part of the analog TV band traditionally needed for transmission of the analog TV program material. The newly available bandwidth in the analog TV band may be utilized for other cable TV services, e. g. , video-on-demand (VOD) services. A reception gateway is employed at a user location to frequency-translate any VOD signals, transmitted through the analog TV band, to another frequency band, thereby avoiding disturbing the normal operation of a set-top terminal in receiving the analog TV program material through the analog TV band at the user location.

US Patent:

7954131, May 31, 2011

Filed:

Jun 13, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/818236

Inventors:

Chris Cholas - Frederick CO, US
William L. Helms - Longmont CO, US
Louis D. Williamson - Denver CO, US
Jeffrey P. Markley - Golden CO, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04N 7/10
H04N 7/173

US Classification:

725112, 725 34, 725 44, 725114

Abstract:

Apparatus and methods for premises gateway functions that integrate or unify functions typically distributed across multiple devices within a content-based network. In one embodiment, the out-of-band (OOB) signaling functionality normally provided in each of a set-top-box (STB) and digital video recorder (DVR) are unified into a common OOB (e. g. , DOCSIS) capable premises gateway device, thereby obviating OOB tuners and related components from each device. In another variant, the premises gateway is adapted for all-IP operation, such as for use with IP-based computers and IP set-top boxes, etc. Fully unified variants are also disclosed, wherein the DVR and/or STB functions are physically integrated within the premises gateway.

US Patent:

8151294, Apr 3, 2012

Filed:

May 10, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/777072

Inventors:

John Carlucci - Boulder CO, US
William Helms - Longmont CO, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable LLC - New York NY
Time Warner Entertainment Company, L.P. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04N 7/10
H04N 7/025
H04N 7/173
G06F 3/00

US Classification:

725 32, 725 36, 725105, 725114, 725115, 725116, 715723

Abstract:

Although personal video recorders (also known as digital video recorders) provide certain conveniences to viewers of programming content, such devices facilitate manipulation or Askipping@ of commercials, frustrating the intent of the advertisers of the commercials. In accordance with the invention, when a user fast-forwards (rewinds) a commercial, alternate commercial(s) may be accessed for display in place of the original commercial, which provides a full impression of the goods and service promoted, otherwise impossible to appreciate at the fast-forward (rewind) speed. The duration of the alternate commercial(s) corresponds to the duration of the original commercial at the fast-forward (rewind) speed controlled by the user. With the invention, the user advantageously realizes the convenience of manipulating programming content, and at the same time can appreciate the full impression of an alternate commercial to the original commercial, albeit in a shorter duration.

US Patent:

8265104, Sep 11, 2012

Filed:

Oct 12, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/577598

Inventors:

William L. Helms - Longmont CO, US
Paul D. Brooks - Weddington NC, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04J 3/04
H04J 3/16
H04J 3/22
H04J 3/18
H04J 3/02

US Classification:

370535, 370465, 370477, 370539

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for performing multiplexing of video or other content (e. g. , programs) within a network using feed-back from a subsequent digital program insertion stage, and/or feed-forward information from a prior multiplexing stage. In one embodiment, the network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) cable network having headend and hub-based statistical multiplexing stages, and communication between the two stages is used to improve the visual quality performance and bandwidth utilization of the output multi-program stream during conditions where downstream content is inserted into the transport stream. Business methods associated with the various multiplexing features described above are also disclosed.

US Patent:

8266429, Sep 11, 2012

Filed:

Jul 20, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/894884

Inventors:

William Helms - Longmont CO, US
Michael T. Hayashi - Aurora CO, US
Kevin J. Leddy - Wilton CT, US
David A. Christman - Rowayton CT, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable, Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04L 29/06
G06F 7/04

US Classification:

713165, 726 5

Abstract:

A “trusted domain” is established within which content received from a communications network, e. g. , a cable TV network, is protected from unauthorized copying thereof, in accordance with the invention. In an illustrative embodiment, the trusted domain includes a device associated with a user which receives content from the cable TV network. The content may be encrypted using a content key in accordance, e. g. , with a 3DES encryption algorithm before it is stored in the device. In addition, a first encrypted content key version and a second encrypted content key version are generated by respectively encrypting the content key with a public key associated with the device and another public key associated with the user, in accordance with public key cryptography. The first and second encrypted content key versions are stored in association with the encrypted content in the device storage. The encrypted content can be migrated from a first device to a second device, and can be decrypted in the second device if the second device is associated with the same user, and also provided with the second encrypted content key version.