Michael A Ficco

US Patent:

6868292, Mar 15, 2005

Filed:

Jun 11, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/878855

Inventors:

Michael Ficco - Silver Spring MD, US
Adrian Yap - Gaithersburg MD, US
Ernest Seah - Gaithersburg MD, US
Rajeshwari Karthikeyan - Germantown MD, US

Assignee:

The DIRECTV Group, Inc. - El Segundo CA

International Classification:

G06F009/40
G06F009/44

US Classification:

700 19, 700276, 340 31, 340523, 725 78, 725151, 725153

Abstract:

A method and system of controlling devices with digitally stored content. Devices such as home electronic appliances, lighting systems, heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, home security systems and home entertainment systems are controlled from a single, centralized device. A set top box (STB) stores scripts that include program content for controlling the operation of a plurality of these devices from the STB. A user of the STB selects the desired scripts, and the STB accesses the selected scripts from storage based on a triggering mechanism such as time, content, event, etc. The STB selectively controls operation of certain devices designated in the script. The method provides ease of control over multiple and diverse devices, applications and media within a user's own home environment, with more functionality and flexibility than currently available.

US Patent:

6922845, Jul 26, 2005

Filed:

Jan 17, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/761202

Inventors:

Adrian Yap - Gaithersburg MD, US
Michael Ficco - Silver Spring MD, US
Robert Davis - Woodbine MD, US

Assignee:

The DirectTV Group, Inc. - El Segundo CA

International Classification:

H04N007/16

US Classification:

725141, 725142, 386 68, 386 83

Abstract:

A set top box (STB) includes multiple processors that handle either real time or non-real time functions within the STB. One of the processors may perform substantially all of the real time operations, such as control of a data pipeline to the STB, conditional access, and control of a program guide stored within the DVR. The other processor may control substantially all non-real time functions that are executed within the STB, such as graphics user interface and browser functions. The STB may be embodied as a digital video recorder (DVR). The additional processor(s) provide for increased overall system bandwidth, improved system security and greater system stability for an STB and/or DVR configured with these multiple processors, as compared to a conventional STB having a single micro-controller or processor.

US Patent:

7409703, Aug 5, 2008

Filed:

Oct 17, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/978469

Inventors:

Lou King - Ijamsville MD, US
Michael Ficco - Silver Spring MD, US
John May - Ijamsville MD, US
Jorge Guzman - Damascus MD, US
Yong Gao - Germantown MD, US

Assignee:

The DIRECTV Group, Inc. - El Segundo CA

International Classification:

H04L 12/28

US Classification:

725151, 725153, 711203, 711202, 711100

Abstract:

A method, system and computer program product for efficient storage of data for use by an application, including a set top box. The set top box including a physical memory, a bulk storage device, and a memory management unit (MMU) coupled between the application and the physical memory and the bulk storage device. The physical memory and the bulk storage device are configured to store the data. The MMU is configured to translate a virtual address provided by the application to a physical address used by one of the physical memory and the bulk storage device.

US Patent:

7610602, Oct 27, 2009

Filed:

Oct 17, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/978452

Inventors:

Michael Ficco - Silver Spring MD, US

Assignee:

The DIRECTV Group, Inc. - El Segundo CA

International Classification:

H04N 7/18

US Classification:

725 76, 725 75, 725 77, 725 79, 725 82

Abstract:

A method, system and computer program product for aircraft multimedia distribution, including a multimedia server provided within an aircraft of an airline and a multimedia communications network within the aircraft coupled to the multimedia server. The multimedia server is configured to distribute, over the aircraft multimedia communications network, multimedia in-flight to a device of a passenger for at least one of viewing, listening and purchasing by the passenger.

US Patent:

8312490, Nov 13, 2012

Filed:

Apr 18, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/837844

Inventors:

Adrian Yap - Gaithersburg MD, US
Michael Ficco - Silver Spring MD, US
Robert Davis - Woodbine MD, US

Assignee:

The DIRECTV Group, Inc. - El Segundo CA

International Classification:

H04N 5/76
G06F 3/00
G06F 13/00
H04N 5/445

US Classification:

725 58, 386298, 386296, 386297

Abstract:

A personal video on-demand system and method which permits a user to receive available content using a single tuner and perform one of a plurality of operations on the available content. These operations include recording two or more signals, where one or both may be simultaneously viewed, recording one or more signals and playing back one or more signals, playing back two or more signals, watching one or more signals while recording one or more other signals, viewing two or more signals live, or viewing at least one signal live, while viewing one or more signals in a playback mode. These operations also include selecting an even based on actor, actress, director, etc. , alerting a user to an attempt to record a duplicate program, displaying a status of a program from the available content the user is watching, playing paused programming or converting paused programming to recorded programming during a channel change, allowing a user to record an entire program after viewing the program for a period of time, permitting a user to capture a snippet of the available content, permitting a user to rewind recording in an increment for playback of a portion of the available content, enabling a user to jump back from a live broadcast to a last paused video segment.

US Patent:

20010033343, Oct 25, 2001

Filed:

Apr 18, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/837843

Inventors:

Adrian Yap - Gaithersburg MD, US
Michael Ficco - Silver Spring MD, US
Robert Davis - Woodbine MD, US

International Classification:

H04N005/44

US Classification:

348/734000

Abstract:

A personal video on-demand system and method which permits a user to receive available content using at least two tuners and perform one of a plurality of operations on the available content. These operations include recording two or more signals, where one or both may be simultaneously viewed, recording one or more signals and playing back one or more signals, playing back two or more signals, watching one or more signals while recording one or more other signals, viewing two or more signals live, or viewing at least one signal live, while viewing one or more signals in a playback mode. These operations also include selecting an even based on actor, actress, director, etc.,.alerting a user to an attempt to record a duplicate program, displaying a status of a program from the available content the user is watching, playing paused programming or converting paused programming to recorded programming during a channel change, allowing a user to record an entire program after viewing the program for a period of time, permitting a user to capture a snippet of the available content, permitting a user to rewind recording in an increment for playback of a portion of the available content, enabling a user to jump back from a live broadcast to a last paused video segment.

US Patent:

20020040475, Apr 4, 2002

Filed:

Apr 17, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/836378

Inventors:

Adrian Yap - Gaithersburg MD, US
Michael Ficco - Silver Spring MD, US
Robert Davis - Woodbine MD, US
Paul Gaske - Rockville MD, US
Walter Kepley - Gaithersburg MD, US
Scott Casavant - Germantown MD, US
Kuriacose Joseph - Gaithersburg MD, US

International Classification:

G06F003/00
H04N005/445

US Classification:

725/039000

Abstract:

A digital video recorder (DVR) and method of recording including a tuner for receiving available content, a memory for storing selectable status parameters indicating functionality of the digital video recorder, a telephone answering device for receiving voice signals and caller ID signals representing a telephone message from a caller and converting the voice signals and caller ID signals into digital signals, and a processor, which performs operations on the available content from the tuner, which directs storage of the digital signals to a storage device and controls playback of the storage signals of the telephone message to be output at a display device and controls a display of a plurality of status parameters based on received commands to access a memory so as to display one or more of the plurality of status parameters. The DVR of the present invention may include one or more tuners and one or more processors. The DVR method and apparatus also performs a wide variety of functions, which enhance the viewing ability of a user.

US Patent:

20020054750, May 9, 2002

Filed:

Jan 17, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/761203

Inventors:

Michael Ficco - Silver Spring MD, US
Robert Davis - Woodbine MD, US
Adrian Yap - Gaithersburg MD, US

International Classification:

H04N005/76

US Classification:

386/046000, 386/083000

Abstract:

An apparatus, method and system for displaying the status of a recording device such as a set top box (STB) equipped with a digital video recorder (DVR) includes a memory that stores status parameters indicating functionality of the STB-equipped with DVR, and a processor for controlling the display of these status parameters based on receiving user commands to access the memory and display at least a selected one of the status parameters for review. A suitable user command interface may be used in order to transmit a command to display desired status parameter(s). Status parameters displayed include the time that a recording is behind a live feed, whether a program being viewed is live or recorded, available storage capacity for recording, visual/audiovisual alerts indicating various levels of storage available for recording, and other file attributes associated with the functionality and operation of the STB-equipped with DVR.