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).

  • Patent number: 7627637
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system for composing a package of application files to be sent as e-mail attachments in e-mail communications. A plurality of data structures are created, wherein each data structure groups together a plurality of different user application files designated as attachments to an e-mail communication. Application files designated from within user applications are associated with selected data structures, such that each designated application file is associated with a selected data structure. During composition of an e-mail communication having attachments, a list of the data structures containing application files are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Publication number: 20090276327
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for online ordering of items. An online order is received from a first user requesting to purchase an item. The first user is associated to a profile of a second user. A favorite item is retrieved from the second user's profile and automatically added to the first user's order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Patent number: 7606840
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for maintaining and controlling different versions of electronic files in a distributed server environment. As such, one embodiment, among others, accesses a local file and compares the local file to a master file. The local file has a local file identifier, which comprises a name portion and a version number portion. The master file has a master file identifier, which comprises a name portion and a version number portion. The name portion of the master file identifier is substantially identical to the name portion of the local file identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Patent number: 7580984
    Abstract: A system for intelligently sorting e-mail comprises a client which downloads e-mails from a server. Prior to presenting the e-mails to the user, the client sorts the e-mail into classifications based upon whether the e-mail is from a personal contact, i.e. someone that that the user knows, whether the e-mail is from a commercial vendor from whom the user has indicated that he or she wishes to accept commercial e-mail, or whether the e-mail is from an unknown source. The client presents the e-mails to the user in these classifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Patent number: 7575163
    Abstract: Briefly described, one embodiment of the system, among others, includes a media server configured to transfer storefront interface data to a client device, where the storefront interface data enables a graphical storefront interface to be displayed on the client device. The system further includes a profile database maintaining profile records of users of the graphical storefront interface. At least one profile record comprises a profile for an administrator of an interactive management service, where the administrator authorizes other users to participate in the service including the first user. Further, the administrator sets parameters maintained in the profile database that limit which items are displayed to the first user and offered for sale by the media server to the first user. Also, payment for items purchased by the first user are charged to the administrator. Other systems and methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Patent number: 7555525
    Abstract: A system for providing temporary contact aliases is provided. A representative system includes a database system operable to store at least one resource list comprising a plurality of contacts associated with at least one user. The plurality of contacts comprising at least one temporary contact at the instruction of said at least one user, stored in said at least one resource list associated with said at least one user. The system further includes a network interface operable to communicate with a plurality of users, including said at least one user, over a network which is operable to provide a communication medium between the plurality of users. Methods and other systems for temporary contact alias are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Publication number: 20090164235
    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: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Patent number: 7536392
    Abstract: Network resource management systems are provided. A representative network update manager includes an updater coupled to a persistent database and to an administrative application residing on an application server and a memory operable to store a plurality of delayed updates. The network update manager is preferably operable to receive at least one update from the administrative application and subsequently update the persistent database. Methods and other systems for network resource management are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intelllectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Dale W. Malik, Lee G. Friedman
  • Publication number: 20090100027
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for managing the communications and information resources of a user. When a request for data is received, a message log is queried for the data. A result of the query is then communicated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Patent number: 7519708
    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: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Patent number: 7506031
    Abstract: An email message is filtered to determine whether or not it is an undesired email message (e.g., “spam,” “junk mail,” etc.) that originates from an undesirable domain, such as, for example, a domain designated as originating from an undesirable geographic location. In some embodiments, upon determining that the email message originates from an undesirable domain, the email message is deleted (e.g., permanently removed, moved to a designated folder, marked for followup, etc.). In other embodiments, upon determining that the email message originates from an undesirable domain, the email message is further filtered to determine whether or not the email message includes attributes that indicate that the email message should not be discarded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Publication number: 20090070431
    Abstract: Communication services are integrated. A communication suite includes several communications accounts for a first communications service and several communications accounts for a second communications service. Logic is configured to detect when one of the communications accounts in the first communication suite for the first communications service is being actively utilized by a user. Upon detection, the logic is configured to make the second communications service available to the user via the communications accounts in the communication suite for the second communications service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Dale W. Malik, W. Todd Daniell
  • Publication number: 20090067589
    Abstract: A method for changing configuration settings of a telephony system comprises initiating a telephony configuration service, establishing service rights associated with a telephone number. a step for presenting one or more selectable options consistent with the service rights, at least one of which corresponds to a configuration setting change for a call-forwarding task. Additionally, the method includes a step for presenting one or more call-forwarding task options, a step for receiving a selection of at least one of the call-forwarding task options, a step for confirming the selection of at least one of the call-forwarding task options, and changing at least one configuration setting of a telephony system based at least in part upon a received selection of at least one of the call-forwarding task options.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: OPEN INVENTION NETWORK LLC
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Publication number: 20090061905
    Abstract: Included are embodiments for determining data for at least one geographic zone. At least one embodiment of a method includes determining at least one geographic zone for monitoring and receiving data related to at least one contact of a user entering the at least one geographic zone. Some embodiments include providing an indication, to the user, that the at least one contact of the user is currently located in the determined geographic zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Publication number: 20090063648
    Abstract: A method and system for viewing an attachment to an electronic communication transmitted in an electronic messaging system is disclosed in which the system receives a communication; examines the content of the communication; sends an attachment contained in the communication to an alternate viewing site; and presents the content of the attachment contained in the communication at the alternate viewing site in a universally-viewable format. An alternative embodiment further includes prompting the receiver of the communication for verification of a previously assigned personal identification number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Dale W. Malik, Robert A. Koch
  • Publication number: 20090049150
    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: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Publication number: 20090043903
    Abstract: Inconveniences in switching from one Internet service provider (ISP) to another ISP are remedied by providing streamlined approaches that facilitate the migration from one ISP to another ISP. In one embodiment, user information is validated prior to migrating from the old ISP to the new ISP, thereby ensuring proper transfer of information from the old ISP to the new ISP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Dale W. Malik, Michael Jackson, Jeffrey Allen Lord
  • Publication number: 20090030997
    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: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, LP.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Patent number: 7475341
    Abstract: In some embodiments, among others, a searchable segment of a document is identified in accordance with an identification criterion. Thereafter, an image is generated from the searchable segment. The image is a substantially unsearchable representation of the searchable segment. A reference to the generated image is substituted for the searchable segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Publication number: 20090006390
    Abstract: Some embodiments, among others, include a search for sensitive information. Once a result of the search has been obtained, a score is assigned to the obtained result in accordance with a predefined criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik