Patents Assigned to SBC Properties, L.P.
  • Publication number: 20070264999
    Abstract: A method of providing telecommunication service via a terminating device aboard an aircraft is disclosed and includes receiving data related to identification information included on an aircraft boarding pass at a boarding pass reader interface. The method also includes determining, based on the data, that a passenger identified by the boarding pass is a subscriber of a service to forward calls placed to a mobile terminal of the passenger to a terminating device accessible to the passenger aboard an aircraft associated with the boarding pass. The service is automatically activated with respect to the passenger when the identification information indicates that the service is to be activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Applicant: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventor: Assad Radpour
  • Patent number: 7292682
    Abstract: A method and system for transmitting a facsimile message uses a public-switched telecommunications network, the public-switched telecommunication network having a messaging platform capable of storing a plurality of facsimile messages. The initiation of a telephone call to a destination is detected, the content of the call including the facsimile message. If the destination is available at a first time to receive a telephone call, the facsimile message is transmitted. The facsimile message may be stored on the messaging platform only if the destination is unavailable at the first time, or every time a telephone call is initiated by the originating party. The method also provides for situations where a telephone call is redirected, where an inter-NPA seven digit dialing case has occurred, and where “busy” or “no_answer” triggers are implemented. If the facsimile message was stored, the facsimile message is transmitted at a second time if the destination is available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey James Meek, William Harvey Meek, Gordon Lynn Blumenschein
  • Patent number: 7286657
    Abstract: A system and method deliver audible caller identification information when standard Caller ID information can not be provided. A calling party is prompted by an announcement to provide the audible caller identification information. The announcement may be tailored by changing the language of the announcement, for example, to conform to the majority of calls received by the called party. A special designator may be stored in association with account information when the service is ordered. The designator is read before the announcement is played to the calling party. The audible caller identification information is recorded and played to the called party in a message. The message may be tailored by changing the language or format of the announcement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Teresa Farias Latter, John Wesley Moss, Thomas Joseph McBlain
  • Publication number: 20070242731
    Abstract: A modified adaptive minimum mean square error (MMSE) receiver detects a spread spectrum signal, minimizing interference among multiple users. The receiver receives multiple pilot bits and corresponding data bits. A channel is estimated using at least one of the received pilot bits and, simultaneously, the data bits are detected based on the pilot bit and an inverse of a gain of the receiver. The spectrum signal may be spread in accordance with a wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) format, in which the pilot bits are modified to include a predetermined bit sequence of alternating ones and negative ones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventor: Arunabha GHOSH
  • Patent number: 7272221
    Abstract: A system and method for providing telephony services, such as caller ID, voice mail, selective call forwarding, and the like, to a remote subscriber, typically located outside the providers regional territory. The system can include customer premise equipment (CPE) selectively connectable to a remote central office (CO), a packet-switched network gateway, such as an Internet telephony gateway (ITG), for remotely communicating service requests to a local service node. The local service node can be located within the service provider's territory and returns telephony service responses via the packet-switched network gateway to the remote CO, and ultimately the remote CPE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Karen Jeanne Pelletier, Rex Norman Bull, Bruce A. Chatterley, David Anthony Orwick, Wayne Robert Heinmiller
  • Patent number: 7263356
    Abstract: A system and method for extending a user's communications services to an airplane seat telephone terminal proximate the user while the user is aboard an airplane is provided. The system includes a Subscriber Interface (SI) for providing a Subscriber Identity Record (SIR) including the user's flight data and a Universal Communications Address (UCA), and a Subscriber Location Register (SLR) adapted to receive the subscriber identity record from the subscriber interface and communicate with a home location register associated with the user to provide a subscriber location in response to a telephone call placed to the user's Universal Communications Address. The Universal Communications Address can be a Mobile Station ISDN number associated with a wireless user terminal or an ISDN/PSTN number associated with a wireline telephone of said user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventor: Assad Radpour
  • Publication number: 20070198828
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing data and communicating encrypted data are provided. A method of processing data and communicating encrypted data may include receiving input traffic data at a first interface of a channel service unit/data service unit (CSU/DSU). The method may also include determining management data associated with the input traffic data. The method may also include encrypting the management data at the CSU/DSU to produce encrypted management data. The method may further include sending the encrypted management data via a second interface of the CSU/DSU to a remote terminal of a local area network for viewing by user via a data router coupled to the CSU/DSU.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Brian Gonsalves, Kenneth Jones, Zesen Chen
  • Patent number: 7260196
    Abstract: Processing a call from a calling party at a calling communication station to a called communication station includes detecting signalling information for the call, including determining whether standard caller identification for the calling communication station can be provided to the called communication station and detecting a privacy level selected by a called party at the called communication station. The call is routed in response to the signalling information and the privacy level. This permits management of privacy levels at the called communication station using the signalling information for the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Karen Jeanne Pelletier, Raymond Walden Bennett III, Michael Steven Pickard, Wayne Robert Heinmiller, Edmond W Israelski, Jordan Howard Light, Rex Norman Bull
  • Patent number: 7260825
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of remote control devices receives user-initiated video selections of any of direct broadcast satellite (DBS) channels, digital subscriber line (DSL) video content, and combinations of DBS channels and DSL video content. Based on the selections, each of a plurality of video processing modules is responsive to a corresponding one of the remote control devices to request any of a DBS channel, DSL video content, and a combination of a DBS channel and DSL video content, and to generate a television signal based thereon. A DBS distribution module simultaneously receives and distributes all DBS channels requested by the video processing modules. A DSL modem receives any DSL video content requested by the video processing modules. A networking module distributes the DSL video content to those of the video processing modules requesting same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Ahmad Ansari, Brad Allen Medford, Russell William White, David Bruce Hartman
  • Patent number: 7260385
    Abstract: The invention uses the advanced intelligent network to provide caller identification for calls placed over the internet (24). A long distance call placed with an internet carrier results in the originating SSP (14) forwarding the call to an originating POP (22) for the internet carrier. The caller ID information is routed through the signaling system 7 network (16) to the SSP (32) in the terminating network. The call is routed to a terminating POP (26) and then to the SSP (32) in the terminating network. The SSP (32) inserts the caller ID information received through the SS7 network (16) and routes the call to the terminating line (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Wayne Robert Heinmiller, Robert Wesley Bossemeyer, Jr., Bruce Edward Stuckman
  • Patent number: 7257198
    Abstract: A performance of a telecommunication feature for a telecommunication customer is monitored. Based on the monitored performance, if an estimate of future performance of the telecommunication feature for the telecommunication customer is determined to be unfavorable, the telecommunication customer is informed of same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Edmond W. Israelski, Robert Wesley Bossemeyer, Jr., Jordan Howard Light, Denise Violetta Kagan, Jose M. Cruz, Bruce Edward Stuckman, Raymond Walden Bennett, III, Michael Steven Pickard, Barry James Sullivan, Richard Peter Krupka, Philip Martin Stebbings
  • Patent number: 7257209
    Abstract: An enhanced Calling Party Pays (CPP) or Paging Party Pays (PPP) system that enables 1) billing of calls originating from traditionally non-billable sources, 2) routing of incoming calls to voicemail if the caller does not wish to incur the additional charges, 3) allowing the caller to complete the call and charge the cellular (or paging) subscriber for additional air-time usage when the caller enters a PIN or security code, also referred to as a billing override code, and 4) allowing the caller to block CPP/PPP charges from being billed to the calling party
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Carol Shifrin Gruchala, Gordon Lynn Blumenschein, Douglas Marshall, Roger Albert Sosa, Carlos Donoso
  • Patent number: 7254225
    Abstract: A method of routing incoming telephone calls and programming routing options and apparatus that allows incoming calls to be routed according to various criteria programmed by a subscriber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Eileen Cecilia Schwab, Gayle Roberta Ekstrom, Gisele Arlette Marcus, Edward Alan Ossello
  • Patent number: 7248681
    Abstract: Real time detection of the fraudulent use of a telecommunications network is accomplished by analyzing data for each call that is occurring within the network. A signal protocol receiver is used to collect signaling protocol for each call that is occurring within the network. The Signaling protocol data is collected, decoded and formatted into call information records (CIRs). The CIRs contain various operator specified parameters for each call that is occurring within the network. The CIRs are compared to operator defined thresholds. If any of the CIRs exceeds the thresholds, an alert is generated. The alerts are stored in a database where the operator can analyze them and take the appropriate corresponding action to resolve the alert. The alerts and the CIRs are archived in a database so that trends of fraudulent use can be detected and prevented. This method of fraud detection provides for the effective analyzation of every call that is occurring within the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Judy Lynn Betts, Michael Joseph Hatlak, Michael Joseph McGuire
  • Patent number: 7242950
    Abstract: A plurality of wireless network access points (NAPs) each having a known location are provided. The wireless NAPs comprise shorter-range NAPs and longer-range NAPs. An associated precedence is assigned to each of the NAPs. A history database is to track a sequence of the NAPs accessed by a wireless device in a session. If a request for information from the wireless device is received by at least two of the NAPs, a processor determines which of the at least two NAPs has a greatest precedence and assigns same as a current NAP. The processor estimates a current location of the wireless device based on the known location of the current NAP and the known location of a previously-current NAP for the wireless device from the history database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Lalitha Suryanarayana, David Patron
  • Patent number: 7233654
    Abstract: A method for providing the names of the city and state of a calling party to a called party when the calling party's name is unavailable. The method utilizes the calling party's telephone number to determine the names of the city and state from which the calling party is calling. The method incorporates a database that contains combinations of telephone numbers and the names of the cities and states that correspond to the various combinations of numbers. In response to an indication that the name of the calling party is unavailable, the method accesses the databases and searches for the matching telephone number and corresponding city and state names. If the names are found, they are delivered to the calling party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Ron Urban, Jim Kovarik, Nancy Book
  • Patent number: 7233651
    Abstract: An efficient and effective method and system for providing to a customer an audible call notification of a current call and a subsequently received call waiting call. The present embodiments notify the customer that a current call is waiting in an effective manner that reduces confusion. Confusion is reduced by the combination of audible call waiting indicators and audible caller identification information associated with the calling telephone station. Additionally, both the indicator and the representation of the information can be provided automatically without significant delay. The indication is provided even when standard caller identification information is not available by prompting the caller to provide spoken caller identification information. The spoken caller identification information is provided to the called party along with call disposition options, such as options to accept or reject the call, route the call to voice mail or send a sales refusal message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Rex Norman Bull, James Thomas Maciejewski
  • Publication number: 20070136674
    Abstract: A structured document browser includes a constant user interface for displaying and viewing sections of a document that is organized according to a pre-defined structure. The structured document browser displays documents that have been marked with embedded codes that specify the structure of the document. The tags are mapped to correspond to a set of icons. When the icon is selected while browsing a document, the browser will display the section of the structure corresponding to the icon selected, while preserving the constant user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Applicant: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Robert Schumacher, James Matthews
  • Publication number: 20070127707
    Abstract: A subscriber associates a ring-tone media selection based on a media genre, author, or title to a calling number. When an incoming call is detected, a particular ring-tone media selection, based on the subscriber's association, may be streamed from a central server to the subscriber's customer premises equipment and then played. Alternatively, when an incoming call is detected, a particular ring-tone selection indicator, based on the subscriber's association, may be sent from a central server to the subscriber's customer premises equipment which then plays a pre-stored ring-tone selection media associated with the indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: SBC PROPERTIES, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas KOSER, Jeffery SCRUGGS, Stephen MUELLER
  • Publication number: 20070121855
    Abstract: A telecommunications service controls and monitors telephone calls by storing at a service control point (SCP) restricted telephone numbers and priority telephone numbers. Upon receiving call data relating to a call between a subscriber telephone number and an outside telephone number, the SCP determines whether the outside telephone number matches the restricted or priority telephone numbers. When the outside telephone number matches a restricted telephone number, the call is terminated and the SCP stores the call data. When the outside telephone number does not match a restricted telephone number, or matches a priority telephone number, the call is connected. The SCP transmits stored call data to a service management system, which is accessible by the subscriber via the Internet or an interactive voice response, for generating reports. The service further includes time schedules for implementing call restrictions and personal identification number for bypassing call restrictions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Applicant: SBC PROPERTIES, L.P.
    Inventors: Dianna TILIKS, Susanne CROCKETT, Nancy BOOK, Carol GRUCHALA, John MOSS