Patents by Inventor Dale W. Malik

Dale W. Malik has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Systems and methods for delivering time sensitive messages over a distributed network
    Patent number: 8117263
    Abstract: A method for displaying content of a time-sensitive e-mail message to a recipient, wherein the content displayed is based on when the recipient opens the time-sensitive e-mail message. A sender of the time-sensitive email message establishes content and a rule set for delivering the e-mail message. The rule set contains a predefined time limit for allowing the recipient of the time-sensitive e-mail message to open it. If the recipient opens the time-sensitive e-mail message within the predefined time limit, the content within the e-mail is delivered to the recipient. If, however, the recipient fails to open the time-sensitive e-mail message within the predefined time limit, then the time-sensitive e-mail message is either deleted from the recipient's mailbox or an alternative message is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • User interface for a communication suite
    Patent number: 8108469
    Abstract: Embodiments, among others, of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for integrating communication services. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. An association of communications services is created. Accordingly, options are specified for a first communication services this is included in the association. Therefore, when one of the communication services in the association is actively utilized by a user, then the specified options are implemented for the first communications service in a first graphical display area for the first communications service. Other systems and methods are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Larry G. Kent, Jr., Dale W. Malik, W. Todd Daniell
  • Foreign network SPAM blocker
    Patent number: 8090778
    Abstract: A method involves blocking unsolicited e-mail being transmitted from a remote server when a roaming customer of the ISP logs onto the Internet through the foreign NAS. The roaming customer first logs onto the ISP through the foreign NAS by providing a user identification (USERID) and password, which are sent to the ISP. The ISP uses the USERID and the password to authenticate the roaming customer as a valid subscriber of the ISP. An IP address is assigned by the foreign NAS to the roaming customer and is dynamically added to a pool of IP addresses used by the mail server. The roaming customer can then log onto the mail server to send and receive email messages. Once the roaming customer terminates the session, the IP address assigned to the roaming customer is removed from the pool of valid IP address that can be used to access the mail server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Dale W. Malik, Theodore Verren, William Conner
  • Audio Message Delivery Over Instant Messaging
    Publication number: 20110289174
    Abstract: One preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for sending instant messages having audio recordings. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, includes a communications client of a user that is configured to generate an instant message having an audio recording and send the instant message having an audio recording to another user. Methods and other systems are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Audio message delivery over instant messaging
    Patent number: 8014498
    Abstract: One preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for sending instant messages having audio recordings. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, includes a communications client of a user that is configured to generate an instant message having an audio recording and send the instant message having an audio recording to another user. Methods and other systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • INITIATING INSTANT MESSAGING (IM) CHAT SESSIONS FROM EMAIL MESSAGES
    Publication number: 20110202611
    Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating instant messaging (IM) services and email services are described. In one embodiment, among others, an email message is received and an IM chat session is automatically initiated from the email message. In some embodiments, the initiation of the IM chat session may be subject to certain programmable criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Dale W. Malik, W. Todd Daniell
  • Electronic message distribution system
    Patent number: 7996471
    Abstract: A method and system for distributing electronic messages, such as e-mails, using a subject-category-identifier are disclosed. A server receives electronic messages having an subject-category-identifier. The server includes logic for reading the subject-category-identifier and logic for sorting the electronic messages into a category based at least upon the subject-category-identifier. The server determines whether the electronic message is a valid electronic message for distribution; and responsive to determining that the electronic message is valid, the server distributes the electronic message according to the subject-category-identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • AUTOMATIC ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING
    Publication number: 20110145352
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for publishing an electronic document. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. A distribution module retrieves a distribution list identifying at least one user that is to be notified about the publication of the electronic document. As such, when a transfer module sends the electronic document to a network location, a messaging module automatically notifies the at least user from the distribution list of the publication of the electronic document and provides instructions to the at least one user for retrieving the electronic document from the network location. Other systems and methods are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Phonetic filtering of undesired email messages
    Patent number: 7949718
    Abstract: Several embodiments, among others, provided in the present disclosure teach a filtering of email messages for spam based on phonetic equivalents of words found in the email message. In some embodiments, an email message having a word is received, and a phonetic equivalent of the word is generated. Thereafter, the phonetic equivalent of the word is tokenized to generate a token representative of the phonetic equivalent. The generated token is then used to determine a spam probability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: W. Todd Daniell, Dale W. Malik
  • Automatic electronic publishing
    Patent number: 7949706
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for publishing an electronic document. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. A distribution module retrieves a distribution list identifying at least one user that is to be notified about the publication of the electronic document. As such, when a transfer module sends the electronic document to a network location, a messaging module automatically notifies the at least user from the distribution list of the publication of the electronic document and provides instructions to the at least one user for retrieving the electronic document from the network location. Other systems and methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Accessing messages stored in one communication system by another communication system
    Patent number: 7945030
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for accessing messages in one communication system by another communication system. In some embodiments, a request to access data is received from a second communication system. The data is located at a first communication system. The first communication system is configured to communicate using a first standard communication protocol, while the second communication system is configured to communicate using a second standard communication protocol. The received request is converted to a command of the first standard communication protocol. Using the command, the data at the first communication system is accessed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Mary S. Arnoff, Dale W. Malik
  • Crowd determination
    Patent number: 7932831
    Abstract: Included are methods for providing crowd determination. At least one embodiment of a method includes receiving presence data related to at least one subject in an environment and determining at least one occupancy statistic of the environment from the received presence data. At least one other embodiment of a method includes providing at least one occupancy statistic of the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Data compression in electronic communications
    Patent number: 7930357
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for compressing data communicated in an electronic message. Files attached to an electronic communication are compressed based on an examination of the file type; and an identification of an alternative compressed file type. Accordingly, the first (original) file type is compressed into a second preferred, compressed file type for the purpose of streamlining the package to be delivered in the communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • System and method for sorting electronic communications
    Patent number: 7930352
    Abstract: Systems and methods for intelligently sorting electronic communications, such as electronic advertisements, directed to a media device are disclosed. Prior to presenting the electronic advertisements to the user, the electronic advertisement is filtered into classifications based upon whether the electronic advertisement is from a commercial vendor from whom the user has indicated that he or she wishes to accept commercial electronic advertisements. The user is then presented at the media device with only the electronic advertisements that he or she had indicated were to be accepted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Identifying undesired email messages having attachments
    Patent number: 7930351
    Abstract: Several embodiments, among others, provided in the present disclosure provide for tokenizing portions of an email message, which previously were not tokenized. The tokenizing of these portions generates tokens that are representative of these portions. The generated tokens are used to determine whether or not the email message is spam. In some embodiments, the tokenized portions may include attachments in email messages. In other embodiments, the tokenized portions may include a simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) email address and a domain name corresponding to the SMTP email address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: W. Todd Daniell, Dale W. Malik
  • Initiating instant messaging (IM) chat sessions from email messages
    Patent number: 7921160
    Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating instant messaging (IM) services and email services are described. In one embodiment, among others, an email message is received and an IM chat session is automatically initiated from the email message. In some embodiments, the initiation of the IM chat session may be subject to certain programmable criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Dale W. Malik, W. Todd Daniell
  • Method and apparatus for minimizing storage of common attachment files in an e-mail communications server
    Patent number: 7908332
    Abstract: The present invention provides an e-mail communications system that minimizes the number of duplicate copies of common attachment files to e-mail communications that are stored in the mail store of an e-mail server. When the e-mail server receives an e-mail attachment file that is larger than a threshold size, the server performs a database search for another copy of the attachment file in the mail store. If another copy is located, the system creates a pointer in the mail store that associates the located attachment file with the e-mail for the additional recipient(s). Attachment files are deleted only after the recipients of the associated e-mail communications delete each of the respective e-mails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Guest account life cycle
    Patent number: 7904558
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for managing accounts within a network community. Briefly described in architecture, some embodiments of such a system provide an account server to manage direct accounts for resident users of the network community and guest accounts for guests of the resident users. In addition, a client of a respective resident user of the network community is configured to send to a non-resident user of the network community an invitation to become a guest of the respective resident user. Other systems and methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Method and apparatus for managing and compacting electronic mail messages
    Patent number: 7895271
    Abstract: A system and method for managing and compacting electronic mail messages to preserve storage space on a computer and to enhance the efficiency of an electronic mail application. A user or electronic mail system administrator may define a screening criteria to identify messages to be compacted according to compacting procedures. Compacting procedures may include compressing the message and attachments, detaching the attachments from the message and inserting references or pointers in place of the attachments in the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Merging Instant Messaging (IM) Chat Sessions
    Publication number: 20110029898
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides for merging of instant messaging (IM) chat sessions. In some embodiments, two separate IM chat sessions are merged into a single IM chat session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik