David S Christman

US Patent:

7486869, Feb 3, 2009

Filed:

Dec 1, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/001513

Inventors:

Paul Alexander - Sanford NC, US
Christopher P. Williams - Oak Hill VA, US
Kenneth Gould - Herndon VA, US
David Christman - Rowayton CT, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable, Inc. - Stamford CT

International Classification:

H04N 5/76

US Classification:

386 46, 725100, 725153, 348552, 386 E5002

Abstract:

A system and method for controlling a digital video recorder on a cable network. Signaling associated with the answering or initiation of a digital telephone call by a digital telephone subscriber is used to issue commands to a digital video recorder (DVR). A signal is generated by an MTA when the telephone is enters an “off-hook” state and sent to the DVR to initiate recording of a program being viewed by the called party. When the phone goes “on-hook”, the called party resumes watching the program from exactly where it was interrupted. The MTA may be connected directly to the VTD/DVR and the telephone state is determined by the DVR from information provided by the MTA. Alternatively, a soft switch monitors signaling from the MTA indicative of the state of the called telephone. A telephone state message comprising the telephone state information is then sent over an out-of-band channel/path to a DVR client within the VTD. The DVR client uses the telephone state information to control a DVR.

US Patent:

8204354, Jun 19, 2012

Filed:

Nov 12, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/269169

Inventors:

Paul Alexander - Sanford NC, US
Christopher P. Williams - Oak Hill VA, US
Kenneth Gould - Herndon VA, US
David Christman - Rowayton CT, US

Assignee:

Time Warner Cable, Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04N 5/765

US Classification:

386200, 348552

Abstract:

A system and method for controlling a digital video recorder on a cable network. Signaling associated with the answering or initiation of a digital telephone call by a digital telephone subscriber is used to issue commands to a digital video recorder (DVR). A signal is generated by an MTA when the telephone is enters an “off-hook” state and sent to the DVR to initiate recording of a program being viewed by the called party. When the phone goes “on-hook”, the called party resumes watching the program from exactly where it was interrupted. The MTA may be connected directly to the VTD/DVR and the telephone state is determined by the DVR from information provided by the MTA. Alternatively, a soft switch monitors signaling from the MTA indicative of the state of the called telephone. A telephone state message comprising the telephone state information is then sent over an out-of-band channel/path to a DVR client within the VTD. The DVR client uses the telephone state information to control a DVR.