The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 20, 2009
Filed:
Dec. 14, 2000
Brian Feinberg, Cupertino, CA (US);
Eugene Gershtein, Redwood City, CA (US);
Donald F Gordon, Los Altos, CA (US);
Yong Ho Son, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Sadik Bayrakeri, Foster City, CA (US);
Brian Feinberg, Cupertino, CA (US);
Eugene Gershtein, Redwood City, CA (US);
Donald F Gordon, Los Altos, CA (US);
Yong Ho Son, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Sadik Bayrakeri, Foster City, CA (US);
Cox Communications, Inc., Atlanta, GA (US);
Abstract
Techniques to monitor operation of an information distribution system and delivery of programming, guide data, and other information by the system. These techniques may be used for diagnostics, quality control, and other purposes, and for various types of systems. In accordance with one method, a directive is received to monitor a particular channel at a particular terminal. In response to the received directive, a command is sent (e.g., via a remote control unit) to the terminal. Contents are then received from the terminal, captured, and reported. The reported contents may be used to visually verify the contents being delivered to the terminals, check what the viewers may observe, mimic and test interactive experiences of the viewers, observe actual viewing conditions at the terminals, and perform other tests and diagnostics. The received contents may be captured as one or more video frames, as a video sequence, or in some other format.