Dish Technologies L.l.c.

Echostar Technologies Corporation

Echostar Technologies International Corporation

Keith Gerhards

Danny Jean Minnick

Kranti Kilaru

Dan J Minnick

William Michael Beals

Max Stephen Gratton

John T Kennedy

Christopher Boyd Tirpak

Shiqiang Chu

Kan Man Wong

Sagar Zaveri

Michael Steinert

Pawan Lakshmanan

Danny J Minnick

Embodiments described herein provide various techniques for backing up and restoring data and programs at television receiver devices. In some embodiments, various types of data stored locally by television receiver devices may be backed up by uploading the data to a television provider server, cloud-based storage system, and/or other remote storage locations. In the event of a device failure, or other rebuilt or reinstallation process at the television receiver, a receiver set-up process may be implemented to retrieve the receiver backup data from the backup server, and to initiate various set-up processes in which the replacement receiver may use the backup data to implement the various configuration preferences and settings on the new device, re-create the DVR timers, establish new network connections, configure the home device/appliance settings, and the like, automatically based on the receiver backup data.

Online backup and restoration of television receiver storage and configuration data

Embodiments described herein provide various techniques for dynamically calibrating digital video recordings of television broadcasts based on analyzes of changes to time data and channel data associated with live television broadcasts. In various embodiments, television receivers may transmit sets of recording schedule data to television broadcast monitor devices, which may receive time data corresponding to live broadcast television programs from various data sources, such as satellite or cable television service providers, social media servers, user devices, and other data sources. Television broadcast monitor devices and/or television receivers may receive and analyze the live television broadcast time data and channel data, and may determine updated recording schedule data which may be used to dynamically reprogram the digital video recorders associated with one or more television receivers.

Television broadcast dynamic recording calibration

Embodiments described herein provide various techniques for programming and authorizing television receivers and other subscriber equipment via Internet Protocol (IP) networks. In some embodiments, a television receiver device (e.g., a satellite television receiver, cable television receiver, etc.) may detect and establish a connection to an IP network. After connecting to an IP network, the receiver may transmit identification data to a backend computer server of a cable or satellite television provider. The backend server may use the receiver identification data to determine television subscription(s) associated with the receiver and/or customer, and may determine and transmit one or more authorization codes back to the television receiver over the IP network. The television receiver may use the authorization codes to program the receiver device to decode and output the television channels and programs corresponding to the subscription.

Television receiver authorization over internet protocol network

Embodiments described herein provide various techniques for communication, collaboration, and resource sharing between television receivers operating at separate locations. In some embodiments, a television receiver device may be configured to identify and transmit various receiver data to other associated television receivers at separate physical locations. In order to transmit data from one receiver to another, the transmitting receiver device may establish a connection to an Internet Protocol (IP) network, contact a television provider server to obtain network addresses for one or more related receiver devices, and then transmit the data over the IP network to the related receiver devices. Additional aspects relate to identifying and sharing resources between associated television receivers operating at separate locations. For example, associated television receivers operating at separate locations may use IP network communication to coordinate collaboration and sharing of tuners, storage space, and/or other hardware and software components of the receivers.

Television receiver communication and resource sharing

A method for presenting a matrix code may include receiving, at a content receiver, a signal carrying identifying data relating to a remotely accessible program, generating, at a content receiver, a matrix code from the identifying data relating to the remotely accessible program, transmitting the matrix code as part of a content presentation to a presentation device for display, and receiving the remotely accessible program in response to a user capture of the matrix code. A method for remotely controlling a set top box and a method for setting a recording time on a set top box are also described. A method of preparing a program guide may include gathering program information, generating matrix codes for each program including program data, and associating the matrix codes with respective programs.

Matrix code-based user interface

Unmanned aerial vehicle docking systems and methods are presented herein. A UAV can hover in a hovering position above a docking pad of the UAV docking system based on positioning measurements. An on-board camera can image a machine-readable code present on the docking pad. The hovering position of the UAV above the docking pad can be adjusted based on imaging of the machine-readable code and ranging measurements to the docking pad. A tether can be extended from the UAV towards the docking pad. The hovering position of the UAV and extension of the tether can be adjusted such that a mating device present on a distal end of the tether engages with a coupling device of the UAV docking pad. The tether can be reeled in to the UAV to assist in lowering the UAV from the hovering position to a landing position on the docking pad.

Midair tethering of an unmanned aerial vehicle with a docking station

Systems, devices and methods are provided to deliver messages between a television distributor and groups of television receivers. A data processing system provides a message exchange service that routes messages to any number of queues based upon various routing keys. Each of the customer-operated television receivers establishes a queue with the routing service that is bound to any number of routing keys. Keys may be selected based upon characteristics of the receiver, geographic factors, demographic factors, subscribed services, customer preferences or the like. When a service wants to send a message to a particular group, it sends the message to the group's routing key, and the routing service delivers the messages to each of the receivers bound to that particular key.

Addressable realtime messaging for television receivers

A method of process management for facilitating switching of operating modes within an electronic device is presented. In the method, the electronic device initiates a first process associated in a configuration file with a first operating mode of the device. The configuration file includes an indication as to whether the first process is authorized to request a switch to a second operating mode of the device. A request to switch to the second operating mode is received from the first process. The device determines by way of the indication whether the first process is authorized to issue the request. If the first process is authorized to issue the request, the device initiates a second process associated in the configuration file with the second operating mode in response to the request.

Process management providing operating mode switching within an electronic device

A method for collecting advertisement viewer information includes receiving a signal carrying a television advertisement, reading viewing data associated with the advertisement from a computer readable storage medium, compiling a matrix code including the viewing data for inclusion in the advertisement and scanning by a viewer, and transmitting the advertisement with the matrix code to a presentation device for display. A system for including advertisement viewer information in a matrix code is also described.

Mining of advertisement viewer information using matrix code

One embodiment described herein may take the form of a system or method for generating one or more matrix codes that may then be obtained by a reader device, the one or more matrix codes including information that may be utilized to access additional content related to one or more multimedia presentations. For example, the information contained within the one or more matrix codes may include one or more web addresses that, when selected, may link to one or more webpages on the Internet containing information related to the multimedia presentation. In another example, the information contained within the matrix codes may include instructions that may be executed by an electronic device to provide the additional content. The additional content may be displayed a display device associated with the distribution system, on a reader device, or any electronic device that includes a display.

Growing community of inventors

Parker, CO, United States of America

Keith Gerhards