Patents Examined by Evens J Augustin
  • Patent number: 9064253
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing secure application support for NFC devices in both battery on and battery off modes are provided. A first application that requires available host battery supply and a second application that does not require available host battery supply are loaded onto a mobile device. When the second application is enabled, the reader requests user input on a POS device. The first application is enabled when host battery supply is available, and the second application is enabled when no host battery supply is available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Philip Stewart Royston
  • Patent number: 9059978
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a client system supported by remote maintenance in an electronic network configured to serve a plurality of clients may include an electronic network, a plurality of storage resources, a first virtual machine, a second virtual machine, and a virtual machine manager. The electronic network may include a plurality of processing resources and a communication bus. The plurality of storage resources may be accessible by the plurality of processing resources. The plurality of storage resources may include a computer readable memory. The first virtual machine may handle a first data set associated with the client system. The first virtual machine may include an operating system and a reporting agent. The second virtual machine may handle a second data set associated with an external data center. The virtual machine manager may be configured to manage data transfer between the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Seigo Kotani, Masato Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9031878
    Abstract: It is possible for the content distribution side to control the conditions of target viewers for distributions without depending on the functions specific to a receiver. Content which is broadcast, a content profile, and a program are received. In an initial step of the program, prestored viewer profile information is read. All the content profiles and the contents are downloaded temporarily. Next, the profile information is read, and then a process of matching the profile information with the viewer profile information is performed. When it is determined that they do not match, a matching process for the next content profile is performed. If, on the other hand, they match, at the next step, the content is stored. The viewer reproduces the stored content at an appropriate time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Naohisa Kitazato
  • Patent number: 9009079
    Abstract: A method (300) for planning assignment of floating licenses of software products is proposed. Floating licenses can be requested to a runtime server by multiple workstations (to which they are assigned until a maximum number of instances of the product are running concurrently). In the solution of the invention, a user of every workstation needing to run the product in a future timeframe submits (306) a corresponding reservation request to the runtime server. If at least one license is available for the selected timeframe, the runtime server reserves (357) the license to the workstation (so as to prevent assigning it to other workstations for the same period); at the same time, a corresponding temporary permission is stored (360) on the workstation. In this way, the product can be used (363-387) during the selected timeframe on the workstation only; this is possible without any risk even if the workstation is disconnected from the runtime server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Salvatore D'Alo, Arcangelo Di Balsamo, Alessandro Donatelli, Claudio Marinelli
  • Patent number: 8961292
    Abstract: A system for managing wagering game content is described herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a wagering game machine management server. The wagering game server can include a content controller configured to receive wagering game content and load the wagering game content onto a wagering game machine over the network. The wagering game server can also include a compatibility controller configured to determine whether the wagering game content is compatible with the wagering game machine. Additionally, the wagering game server can include a license controller configured to receive licensing information and to use the licensing information to activate the wagering game content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Mary M. Burke, Shridhar P. Joshi, Larry J. Pacey, Matthew J. Ward
  • Patent number: 8903742
    Abstract: Techniques are presented for uniquely identifying authentication associated with messages. A message is inspected for sender or domain identifying information associated with a sender of the message or a sender's domain. The identifying information is authenticated, and if authentication, then distinctive metadata is associated with the message. The distinctive metadata is presented or played in connection with the message for purposes of readily identifying the authentication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Iconix, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Philip Zager, Jose Jesus Picazo, Jr., Nageshwara Rao Vempaty, William Ames, Vikram Duvvoori
  • Patent number: 8898087
    Abstract: Method and system for preparing and managing real estate transfers and financing, including system for preparation, production and storage of relevant documentation and data contained therein; system for coordinating, reconciling and transferring funds; and system of analyzing and tracking the progress of numerous real estate transactions. A database to minimize redundancy involved in preparation of all documentation needed for real estate closings. Information input into database is used to generate documentation necessary to complete real estate transfers, including all forms required by financial institutions and government agencies. Documentation includes handwritten signatures scanned and incorporated into documents. Ancillary documentation can be scanned into system and combined with other customer data and documentation. A “closing package” can be compiled which contains electronic versions of virtually any document needed for closing real estate transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: REMMIS Holding LLC
    Inventors: Lee Salzmann, John V. Mincone, Joseph Mincone, Andre Hollinger
  • Patent number: 8892473
    Abstract: A system and method for managing use of items having usage rights associated therewith. The system includes an activation device adapted to issue a software package having a public and private key pair, the public key being associated with a user, a license device adapted to issue a license, a usage device adapted to receive the software package, receive the license and allow the user to access the item in accordance with the license, and a subscription managing device adapted to maintain a subscription list including the public key associated with the user. License's is issued by the license device upon verifying presence of the public key in the subscription list corresponding to requested content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Guillermo Lao
  • Patent number: 8886565
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of and systems for providing conditional access to electronic content. Electronic content is provided to a user along with authorization information. The electronic content may be transmitted to the user, and the user may use the authorization information to access the electronic content. An authorization code may be provided to the user such that the user may be granted access to the content based on a comparison of the provided authorization code and a second authorization code transmitted with the electronic content, and transmission of the second authorization code may be controlled by a content provider to control access by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Scientific Games Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Mark E. Herrmann, Steven N. Kane, Stuart Roseman, Jason Yanowitz
  • Patent number: 8874484
    Abstract: An intellectual contents distribution method distributes intellectual contents from a computer via a network. The contents provided from a contents provider are stored in a computer 1, along with support results from at least one supporter relating to the contents. The contents are transmitted to a system of a purchaser via a network in response to the purchaser's request. Also, purchase results of the contents are stored in the computer. Further, the computer computes earnings to be returned to the contents provider and earnings to be returned to each supporter based on a predetermined computational formula by using the support results and the purchase results stored in the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Inventors: Yuji Mizumachi, Koichi Ohtani
  • Patent number: 8874485
    Abstract: A smart coupon-delivery system provides targeted coupons to a user using a criteria-encoded message received from a coupon server. The criteria-encoded message is generated by the coupon server from a behavior-criteria vector that indicates criteria for selecting a recipient of a digital coupon. The system then generates a user-behavior vector to indicate one or more behavior patterns of an end-user, and encodes the user-behavior vector to produce a behavior-encoded message. The system then determines whether the end-user is eligible to receive the digital coupon based on the criteria-encoded message and the behavior-encoded message. If the system determines that the end-user is eligible, the system presents the digital coupon to the end-user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Kurt Partridge, Ersin Uzun, Cong Wang, Manas Ashok Pathak
  • Patent number: 8862517
    Abstract: A method and system for managing use of items having usage rights associated therewith including a point of capture system adapted to generate content of a future event when the event occurs, a content distributor adapted to generate a rights label having usage rights associated with content of the future event before the content is created, the rights label having a distribution key for encrypting the content as the content is generated, the distribution key being encrypted with a public key. The system also includes a license server adapted to generate a license associate with the content from the rights label before the content is generated, the license including the distribution key encrypted with the public key, and a content distributor adapted to distribute the license before the content is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: ContentGuard Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Tushar N. Padhye, M. S. Roopa, C. V. Joshi, Basavaraj B. H., Arun Ray, Deepanjan Kanungo, Aram Nahidipour, Xin Wang, Thanh Ta, Michael Raley, Guillermo Lao, Eddie Chen, Bijan Tadayon, Anant Kansal
  • Patent number: 8856043
    Abstract: A system for conducting payment transaction includes a network-enabled server that communicates with one or more user devices, other network-enabled server computers, and a payment processing network server computer. The network-enabled server facilitates transactions between one or more merchants and users by a managing data flow and interactions between the merchants and the users, providing storage area for storing of all transaction related documents, and providing seamless integration with a payment processing network for payment processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Patrick Faith, Mark Carlson, Theodore D. Harris
  • Patent number: 8849719
    Abstract: One or more storage modules in accordance with implementations of the present invention can be configured for a direct physical connection to a portable, digital playback device. The one or more storage modules comprise computer-executable instructions and one or more media files for delivering content directly to the portable playback device. Thus, for example, a potential customer or end user can plug-in a purchased or rented storage module directly into a personal digital playback device and watch movies, listen to music, watch/listen to news programs, or the like without necessarily having to download content through an intermediate computer system or network interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Inventor: Christopher W. Baker
  • Patent number: 8812442
    Abstract: One implementation of a method for providing backup storage services for encrypted data includes receiving signatures of convergently encrypted portions of data from client computers, determining whether the encrypted portions are already present on a backup storage, and obtaining only the needed portions. Users unassociated with a particular user account are denied access to information backed up in that account. The backup storage also stores password protected key files holding signatures of the unencrypted portions of data. One implementation of a system includes a memory, a single-instance storage circuit, a user account management circuit, and a signature index. The memory holds a user-account database and backup copies of convergently encrypted portions of data. The single-instance storage circuit uses the signature index to prevent duplicative backup copies. The user account management circuit responds to download requests after authenticating the user information associated with the requested data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation
    Inventors: Ankur P. Panchbudhe, Srineet Sridharan
  • Patent number: 8805925
    Abstract: Any of various comparisons of computer folders from different points in time is performed. Such comparisons provide the ability to discover missing documents or documents with modification dates that have changed when there would otherwise have been no need to change them and thus allows discovery of missing documents to discover fraud or to search for evidence after a fraud is suspected. In another embodiment, deltas in accounting system vendor invoice accounts are compared at different points in time, potentially exposing the practice of moving fraudulent vendor transactions into a large group of legitimate transactions for a legitimate vendor. Per period transaction totals for specific periods for legitimate vendors are compared over historical time for suspicious activity. A comparison of reports from the two different periods, using exact data and software from those separate periods (instead of reporting from “current’” data), may raise a red flag otherwise missed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Nbrella, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Price, Scott Degraffenreid, Joseph Dito, Taylor Price
  • Patent number: 8799168
    Abstract: A method of transferring online privileges, comprising: receiving a request for a payment including one or more non-financial items; debiting the one or more non-financial items from a second account; and crediting the one or more non-financial items to a first account, wherein the first account and the second account are accounts residing in a points server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Online Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: David Dhunjishaw, Christopher Yates, Andrew Zaffron
  • Patent number: 8793192
    Abstract: Embodiments related to systems and methods comprising receiving payment data at an access device; receiving an identifier for a phone at the access device; and generating and sending an authorization request message to a payment processing network, wherein the payment processing network generates a verification token, which is then sent to the phone whereby the phone is thereafter used to conduct payment transactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Ayman Hammad, Barbara Patterson
  • Patent number: 8788333
    Abstract: An electronic wallet platform obtains, from a check-out web page of a merchant, (i) a unique identification of a given consumer, of a plurality of consumers, who is purchasing at least one item from the merchant in an on-line transaction, and (ii) associated transaction data. The electronic wallet platform supplies, to a transaction qualification service, the unique identification of the given consumer; and retrieves, from a consumer enrollment database, a record wherein at least one useful token is stored in association with the unique identification of the given consumer. The transaction qualification service determines, based on rules from an offers registry database, whether the at least one useful token is applicable to the on-line transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated
    Inventors: Jose A. Alba, David Grossman
  • Patent number: RE45131
    Abstract: A network communication service with an improved subscriber model. In one embodiment, a mobile user (MU), also referred to as a subscriber, may access the network service through a portable computing device (PCD) using a wireless (or wired) network interface card. Access points (APs) for the network may be widely distributed in various facilities. In one embodiment, the APs are arranged at known geographic locations and may provide geographic location information regarding the geographic location of the mobile user (MU). A digital certificate may be stored on the mobile user's PCD in order to allow access to the network. The digital certificate may store sponsorship information, including information regarding programs or entities in which the mobile user is a member or is affiliated. Each mobile user (subscriber) to the network service may have a “value bucket” which determines the amount of network access or service available to the user. Billing for access to the network communication service, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Wayport, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett B. Stewart, James Thompson