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Network controller for cable television delivery systems    
United States Patent5600364   
Link to this pagehttp://www.wikipatents.com/5600364.html
Inventor(s)Hendricks; John S. (Potomac, MD); Bonner; Alfred E. (Bethesda, MD)
AbstractA novel network controller for use with a digital cable headend capable of monitoring and controlling set top terminals in a television program delivery system is described. The invention relates to methods and apparatus for a network controller that manages a configuration of set top terminals in a program delivery system. The invention is particularly useful in program delivery systems with hundreds of channels of programming, a menu driven program selection system, and a program control information signal that carries data and identifies available program choices. Specifically, the invention modifies a program control information signal at the cable headend before the modified signal is transmitted to each set top terminal. This signal is used with polling methods to receive upstream data from the set top terminals. The invention initiates such upstream data retrieval, gathers all data received and compiles viewer demographics information and programs watched information. The invention processes this data and information to generate packages of advertisements, as well as account and billing reports, targeted towards each set top terminal. The invention uses upstream data reception hardware, databases and processing hardware and software to accomplish these functions.
   














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Drawing from US Patent 5600364
Network controller for cable television delivery systems - US Patent 5600364 Drawing
Network controller for cable television delivery systems
Inventor     Hendricks; John S. (Potomac, MD); Bonner; Alfred E. (Bethesda, MD)
Owner/Assignee     Discovery Communications, Inc. (Bethesda, MD)
Patent assignment
All assignments
Publication Date     February 4, 1997
Application Number     08/160,280
PAIR File History     Application Data   Transaction History
Image File Wrapper   Patent Term   Fees
Litigation
Filing Date     December 2, 1993
US Classification     725/9 725/1 725/35 725/116
Int'l Classification     H04N 007/173
Examiner     Groody; James J.
Assistant Examiner     Grant; Chris
Attorney/Law Firm     Dorsey & Whitney, P.L.L.P.
Address
Parent Case     RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/991,074 filed Dec. 9, 1992 entitled TELEVISION PROGRAM PACKAGING AND DELIVERY SYSTEM WITH MENU DRIVEN SUBSCRIBER ACCESS. The following other continuation-in-part applications, also based on the above-referenced patent application, are incorporated herein by reference: Ser. No. 08/160,281 filed Dec. 2, 1993, entitled REPROGRAMMABLE TERMINAL FOR SUGGESTING PROGRAMS OFFERED ON A TELEVISION PROGRAM DELIVERY SYSTEM Ser. No. 08/160,282 filed Dec. 2, 1993, entitled AN OPERATIONS CENTER FOR A TELEVISION PROGRAM PACKAGING AND DELIVERY SYSTEM Ser. No. 08/160,193, filed Dec. 2, 1993, entitled SET TOP TERMINAL FOR CABLE TELEVISION DELIVERY SYSTEMS Ser. No. 08/160,194, filed Dec. 2, 1993, entitled ADVANCED SET TOP TERMINAL FOR CABLE TELEVISION DELIVERY SYSTEMS Ser. No. 08/160,283, filed Dec. 2, 1993, entitled DIGITAL CABLE HEADEND FOR CABLE TELEVISION DELIVERY SYSTEM
Priority Data    
USPTO Field of Search     348/1 348/3 348/6 348/9 348/12 348/13 348/906 348/8 348/7 455/2 455/3.1 455/4.2 455/5.1 455/6.1
Patent Tags     network controller cable television delivery
   
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5481294
Thomas
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Market Size
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> $10B
$5B - $10B
$2B - $5B
$500M - $2B
$100M - $500M
$10M - $100M
$1M - $10M
$500K - $1M
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Market Share
Estimate the percentage of the relevant market sector this invention will capture:
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50% - 74.99%
25% - 49.99%
10 - 24.99%
5 - 9.99%
2 - 4.99%
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Reasonable Royalty
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5 - 9.99%
2 - 4.99%
1 - 1.99%
< 1%
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