Robert C Mack

US Patent:

6801915, Oct 5, 2004

Filed:

Jul 28, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/362530

Inventors:

Robert Mack - Neshanic Station NJ 08853

International Classification:

G06F 1730

US Classification:

707100, 707 2, 707 3, 707101, 707102

Abstract:

A plurality of data records is provided, each data record having paired keys comprised of a first key and a second key. The first key identifies each data record in a certain manner and the second key identifies each data record in a different manner. The paired keys can be used to for example, by the first key identifying the original business identity which the data record belongs to, while the second key may identify the current business identity which the data record belongs to. In this way pre-merger data, for example, and post merger data can be retained. In one embodiment an apparatus is provided comprising a first table of data records and a second table of data records. The tables of data records may be stored in a computer memory. Each first table data record may correspond to an entity and may be comprised of a first field having a first set of data identifying a first characteristic of the corresponding entity, a second field having a second set of data identifying a second characteristic of the corresponding entity; and a third field having a third set of data identifying a third characteristic of the corresponding entity. Each second table data record may correspond to an entity and each second table data record may be comprised of a fourth field having a fourth set of data identifying a fourth characteristic of the corresponding entity.

US Patent:

7414984, Aug 19, 2008

Filed:

Aug 27, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/928236

Inventors:

Robert E. Mack - Collegeville PA, US
Scott Randell - Schwenksville PA, US
David H. Brouda - Newtown PA, US

Assignee:

General Instrument Corporation - Horsham PA

International Classification:

H04L 12/28

US Classification:

370254, 370400, 709221, 725 98, 725118

Abstract:

A system and method for efficiently adding a new network resource to a digital video network, without the need to purchase costly ancillary network hardware or extensive manual configuration, is disclosed. The inventive system and method provide for a loop-through for adding new resources to a digital video network. The present invention provides for the resources to be daisy chained from the network switch, where each resource is configured simply as either a loop-through (“LT”) resource or the “last” resource in the daisy chain. Then, only upstream traffic with Media Access Control (“MAC”) addresses of upstream LT resources are transmitted out of the loop-through by the last network resource.

US Patent:

7590886, Sep 15, 2009

Filed:

Nov 21, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/561931

Inventors:

Steven J. Moscirella - Phoenixville PA, US
David M. Bjordammen - Blue Bell PA, US
Arthur P. Jost - Mount Laurel NJ, US
Robert E. Mack - Collegeville PA, US

Assignee:

General Instruments, Corporation - Horsham PA

International Classification:

G06F 11/00

US Classification:

714 13, 714 4

Abstract:

Method and apparatus for facilitating device redundancy in a fault tolerant system is described. One aspect of the invention relates to common redundancy for a set of devices in a redundancy group. Each of the devices is in either an active role or a standby role. Virtual configurations for the devices are stored in a management system. Advertisements are periodically sent from each of the devices in the active role to each of the devices in the redundancy group. Each of the advertisements includes a configuration sequence number. An update in one of the virtual configurations is announced by incrementing the configuration sequence number in at least one of the advertisements. An updated virtual configuration is obtained at each of the devices in the standby role from the management system in response to detecting the configuration sequence number as incremented in the at least one advertisement.

US Patent:

8441963, May 14, 2013

Filed:

Nov 29, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/288797

Inventors:

Thomas J. Bahnck - Conshohocken PA, US
Arthur P. Jost - Mount Laurel NJ, US
Robert E. Mack - Collegeville PA, US
Lawrence D. Vince - Lansdale PA, US

Assignee:

General Instrument Corporation - Horsham PA

International Classification:

H04L 12/16
H04Q 11/00

US Classification:

370270, 370390, 370432

Abstract:

A system (), method () and apparatus () are provided for provisioning a multicast stream, such as an IP multicast stream, in a network. The system includes a first tier (), such as a national backbone, with a first Multicast Address Discovery (MCAD) directory (), and at least one second tier having a headend, such as a regional headend (), with a second MCAD directory (). The system () includes a tiered MCAD directory network that allows the assignment of multicast addresses to multicast streams received from an upper tier MCAD directory. The tiered MCAD directory structure allows for requesting and storing stream descriptors and delivering stream descriptors on-demand to MCAD-enabled devices throughout the system. The system () also allows for stream provisioning maintenance and validation at lower tier headends via MCAD-enabled device queries or re-queries of upper tier MCAD directories.

US Patent:

8561102, Oct 15, 2013

Filed:

Aug 16, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/587069

Inventors:

Robert E. Mack - Collegeville PA, US
Niranjan R. Samant - Lansdale PA, US

Assignee:

General Instrument Corporation - Horsham PA

International Classification:

H04N 7/16

US Classification:

725 25, 725 28, 725109, 725112

Abstract:

A video content delivery system is provided for set top boxes (STBs) that may be relocated as well as mobile clients using the Internet to retrieve content manifest files pertaining to the geographic area in which they are located. To provide this system, the edge cache in each geo-location region of a content provider is configured to append location specific metadata to a client's original HTTP request for content, making the request geo-location or region specific. The specific metadata appended by the edge cache in each region prevent clients from bypassing blackout or other content restrictions by moving from a non-restricted area and sending inaccurate location information. In another feature of the system to prevent client bypassing of blackout restrictions, the edge cache when communicating with the STB removes any location specific information which the client provides.

US Patent:

20030198223, Oct 23, 2003

Filed:

Jul 12, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/194188

Inventors:

Robert Mack - Collegeville PA, US
Art Jost - Mt. Laurel NJ, US

Assignee:

GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION - Horsham PA

International Classification:

H04L012/28

US Classification:

370/392000, 370/401000

Abstract:

Data received from a network can be routed to a datastream. One embodiment of the invention allows IP data to be transmitted via data packets that include a destination address for the data. The destination address can be used to identify a data stream, such as an MPEG PID stream which makes up part of a transport stream in a cable system. Thus, the MPEG PID stream/transport stream can be identified using an IP address and network mask, for example.

US Patent:

20040158867, Aug 12, 2004

Filed:

Feb 10, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/361960

Inventors:

Robert Mack - Collegeville PA, US
Arthur Jost - Mt. Laurel NJ, US
Larry Rabinowitz - Cherry Hill NJ, US
David Brumbaugh - Norristown PA, US
Mark Gregotski - North Grafton MA, US

Assignee:

General Instrument Corporation - Horsham PA

International Classification:

H04N007/173

US Classification:

725/095000, 725/098000, 725/131000

Abstract:

The present invention enables determination of transport stream channels for video-on-demand (VOD) applications. A television terminal is provided which includes a tuner for tuning to a home channel. An application program interface in the terminal retrieves a transport stream identifier of a transport stream carrying the home channel. The home channel transport stream identifier defines a plurality of transport stream identifiers of a corresponding plurality of transport streams visible to the terminal. A video service controller receives the home channel transport stream identifier from the application program interface. A VOD subsystem controller controls distribution of a requested VOD service in response to video service controller commands. A video pump provides the requested VOD service to a re-multiplexing QAM device for distribution on one of the transport streams visible to the terminal based on commands from the VOD subsystem controller.

US Patent:

20070226765, Sep 27, 2007

Filed:

Dec 21, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/614327

Inventors:

Thomas J. Bahnck - Conshohocken PA, US
Arthur P. Jost - Mount Laurel NJ, US
Robert E. Mack - Collegeville PA, US
Lawrence D. Vince - Lansdale PA, US

Assignee:

GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION - Horsham PA

International Classification:

G06F 17/00

US Classification:

725 63

Abstract:

A method and system for managing a blackout of media content data includes receiving a media content stream at a local media content device. The media content stream includes the media content data and blackout data related to the blackout of the media content data. The local media content device is operable to implement the blackout of the media content data with the blackout data in the media content stream.