Robert L Simons

US Patent:

20040090556, May 13, 2004

Filed:

Nov 12, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/292306

Inventors:

John Kamieniecki - Lafayette Hill PA, US
Joseph Halgas - Huntingdon Valley PA, US
Robert Simons - Lansdale PA, US
Jack Birnbaum - Southampton PA, US
David Zeidler - Warrington PA, US
Matthew Piacentino - Harleysville PA, US

International Classification:

H04N005/46

US Classification:

348/558000, 348/556000

Abstract:

A technique is used for determining a video format for a video output signal generated by a television receiver. The technique includes acquiring a preferred output format that is one of a plurality of video formats and determining an aspect ratio of a selected television signal having one of a plurality of television signal formats. The video output signal is generated using one of the plurality of video formats having a 4:3 aspect ratio when the selected television signal has a television signal format having a 4:3 aspect ratio and the preferred output format is other than one that has only a 4:3 aspect ratio. A related technique additionally acquires an optional override output format for television signals having an aspect ratio of 4:3 that is used to determine when to use the stated the stated video format to generate the video output signal.

US Patent:

20050289617, Dec 29, 2005

Filed:

Aug 29, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/215677

Inventors:

Reem Safadi - Horsham PA, US
Douglas Makofka - Willow Grove PA, US
Robert Simons - Lansdale PA, US
Jack Birnbaum - Southampton PA, US
David Zeidler - Warrington PA, US
Mark DePietro - Harleysville PA, US
Lawrence Vince - Lansdale PA, US
Thomas Du Breuil - Ivyland PA, US
Salvatore Macera - Maple Glen PA, US
Carl McGrath - Chalfont PA, US
Raymond Bontempi - Jamison PA, US
Donald Merino - Jenkintown PA, US

International Classification:

H04N007/173
H04N007/16

US Classification:

725089000, 725134000, 725142000

Abstract:

A personal versatile recorder can be connected to, or integrated in, a cable television set-top terminal. The personal versatile recorder includes a central processing unit and a hard drive for mass data storage. Preferably, the personal versatile recorder has a tuner or tuners for receiving one or more transport streams from the cable system as well as analog or digital audiovisual programming. The data transport stream may encompass internet multimedia web content and associated applications to he utilized by the personal versatile recorder, Under instructions of the viewer or the agent application the central processing unit controls and facilitates various functions such as encoding, transcoding, decoding, caching, storing, playback and retrieval of any type of data or data file on the hard drive including compressed audiovisual programming content, streamed multimedia cached content, picture files, video files, audio files, HTML files, etc. for a variety of applications as described.