The Directv Group, Inc.

At&t Intellectual Property I, L.p.

Drew T Chen

Richard B Tatem

Jorge H Guzman

Sean S Lee

Kuriacose Joseph

Vishal Arya

Brian D Jupin

Ranny Q Sue

Michael A Makhijani

John L Pang

Paul O Viazcan

Dana Greer

A content signal switching controller receives first signal information about a first content signal provided by a first satellite antenna and received by a trunk distribution system. The first signal information indicates the quality of a satellite signal that is received by the first satellite antenna and that is converted to the first content signal. The content signal switching controller receives second signal information about a second content signal provided by a second satellite antenna. The second signal information indicates the quality of the satellite signal that is received by the second satellite antenna. In response to the content signal switching controller determining that the first signal information and the second signal information satisfy a first signal switching condition, a content signal switch instruction is provided to a switch device to switch the trunk distribution system from being provided the first content signal to being provided the second content signal.

Satellite signal switching system

A system and method for abstracting an external device from a host includes the external device in communication with the host device. The host device includes an abstraction driver communicating with the plurality of different external devices. The host device communicates a control command to the abstraction driver. The abstraction driver communicates abstraction control commands from the abstraction driver to the external device in response to the control command. The external device determines executable code corresponding to the abstraction control commands, performs executable code at the external device and communicates data from the external device to the receiving device.

Method and system for abstracting external devices via a high level communications protocol

A method and system for controlling a controlled device includes a display device and a remote control device generating a key code and communicating the first key code signal corresponding to the key code to the display device. The display device Communicates the key code of the key code signal through the display device without changing the key code and communicates a second key code signal from the display device to a controlled device. The controlled device is controlled in response to the key code in the second key code signal.

Method and system for controlling a controlled device with a remote control device through a display device

A system for viewing on-demand content includes a user receiving device and a local head end in communication with the receiving device that communicates metadata and material identifiers for on-demand content. Each on-demand content is associated with one of the material identifiers. The user receiving device stores the metadata and the material identifiers for the on-demand content. The local head end receives content. Each content is associated with one of the material identifiers. The user receiving device communicates a request for on-demand content data signal to the local head end. The local head end communicates a manifest comprising material identifiers for content stored at the head end. The user receiving device, after receiving the manifest, displays metadata from the memory of the user receiving device corresponding to the material identifiers.

Method and system for prepositioning content and distributing content in a local distribution system

A method and system for controlling a group of user receiving devices includes a local headend in communication with the group of user receiving devices through a local network. A management control system of the local headend generates a control signal and simultaneously communicates the control signal to the group of user receiving devices through the local network. The group of user receiving devices is controlled in response to the control signal.

Method and system for controlling user devices in an aggregated content distribution system

A method and system for controlling a local content aggregated system includes a switch module receiving external channel signals, user receiving devices and a local headend generating a local channel signal. The local headend communicates the local channel signal to the switch module and communicates local channel program guide data to the user receiving devices. The user receiving devices receive external program guide data corresponding to the external channels. The user receiving device selects either a first external channel signal from the external channel signals or the local channel signal at the program guide to form a selection signal corresponding to a selected channel at a first user receiving device of the user receiving devices. The user receiving device communicates the selection signal to the switch module, which is switched in response thereto. The switch module communicates the selected channel signal to the first user receiving device.

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Gaithersburg, MD, United States of America

Drew T Chen