Patents by Inventor Mark Ratcliffe

Mark Ratcliffe 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).

  • Publication number: 20090180381
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a distributed subscriber load distribution in networks are disclosed. For example, the method receives capacity data from a plurality of devices, and measures a peak period volume for each of a plurality of registered user equipment that is registered with one of the plurality of devices. The method determines whether a peak period volume of the one device reaches an on-set threshold of the one device, and selects one or more of the plurality of registered user equipment if the on-set threshold of the one device is reached, where a sum of the peak period volumes of the selected one or more plurality of registered user equipment is larger than or equal to a volume of traffic that is in excess of the on-set threshold, or in excess of an off-set threshold of the one device. The method sends a request for the selected one or more plurality of registered user equipment to be re-registered in accordance with the capacity data received from the plurality of devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventors: Eric Noel, Mark Ratcliffe
  • Publication number: 20090180378
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing subscriber load distribution in networks are disclosed. For example, the method receives capacity data and user equipment (UE) resource consumption data from a plurality of devices that process call control signaling messages within the communication network. The method receives a first request from one of the plurality of devices to re-register one or more selected user equipment, and selects at least one available device from the plurality of devices. The method then re-registers the one or more selected user equipment on the at least one available device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventors: Eric Noel, Mark Ratcliffe
  • Publication number: 20090141280
    Abstract: A monitor for monitoring gas concentration in an aerospace application is described, one such application being measuring the concentration of oxygen in or next to aviation fuel. The monitor comprises: a substance, the spectroscopic properties of which change when the substance is exposed to the gas; a light source, arranged to irradiate the substance with light; and a photosensor, arranged to detect light from the substance. The substance may be mounted on a solid substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: AIRBUS UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Joseph K-W Lam, Norman Mark Ratcliffe, Stephen Smith
  • Publication number: 20090123412
    Abstract: The present invention provides materials and methods that can serve as a prosthetic and/or, for tissue engineer applications, as a supporting matrix in the stabilization of the myocardium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Kevin E. Healy, Samuel Thomas Wall, Mark Ratcliffe, Julius Guccione
  • Publication number: 20080254795
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide virtual CSCFs in an IMS system. The Virtual CSCFs may be virtual S-CSCFs or virtual P-CSCFs. A master virtual CSCF may be used to distribute subscriber data and initial filter criteria to the virtual CSCFs in a group. Thus one of multiple servers may be used for processing call sessions for the same subscriber, thereby avoiding overloading a particular CSCF in an IMS system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Mark Ratcliffe, Gerald L. Hoover, Min Lu
  • Publication number: 20080201483
    Abstract: Systems for graceful termination of support for session initiation protocol communications on a server are described. Systems include techniques for setting a time period for gracefully terminating such support, for sending a service unavailable message to a client, for causing the server to maintain support, until no later than the expiration of the time period for terminating support, for uncompleted session initiation protocol invites accepted by the server before sending the service unavailable message to the client, and for terminating support for session initiation protocol communications on the server no later than upon expiration of the time period for terminating support. Methods for graceful termination of such support and computer-readable storage media whose contents cause a computer system to perform a graceful termination of such support are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Koan S. Chong, James R. Dobbins, Mark A. Ratcliffe
  • Patent number: 7366782
    Abstract: Systems for graceful termination of support for session initiation protocol communications on a server are described. Systems include techniques for setting a time period for gracefully terminating such support, for sending a service unavailable message to a client, for causing the server to maintain support, until no later than the expiration of the time period for terminating support, for uncompleted session initiation protocol invites accepted by the server before sending the service unavailable message to the client, and for terminating support for session initiation protocol communications on the server no later than upon expiration of the time period for terminating support. Methods for graceful termination of such support and computer-readable storage media whose contents cause a computer system to perform a graceful termination of such support are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Koan S. Chong, James R. Dobbins, Mark A. Ratcliffe
  • Patent number: 7306953
    Abstract: A method of determining the cause of disease is described, which method uses the detection of “signature” or “fingerprint” volatile compounds in an emission, especially flatus, from a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: The University of the West of England, Bristol
    Inventors: Christopher Simon J. Probert, Norman Mark Ratcliffe
  • Patent number: 7274780
    Abstract: A network includes a space chattering mechanism for maximizing server throughput under overload conditions. The server provides control messages to various network traffic sources, which can require differing control instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: AT&T Corporation
    Inventors: Mohan Gawande, Daniel T. Luan, Mark A. Ratcliffe
  • Publication number: 20060165064
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a network element to use network resources efficiently by tracking the availability of other network elements are disclosed. In one embodiment, the present method utilizes one or more SIP method OPTIONS messages to determine the availability of a target network element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: John Brown, Gerald Hoover, Mrinalini Natarajan, Robert Peters, Mark Ratcliffe, Harish Samarasinghe
  • Patent number: 6977995
    Abstract: A network includes a space chattering mechanism for maximizing server throughput under overload conditions. The server provides control messages to various network traffic sources, which can require differing control instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Mohan Gawande, Daniel T. Luan, Mark A. Ratcliffe
  • Patent number: 6829338
    Abstract: A network includes a space chattering mechanism for maximizing server throughput under overload conditions. The server provides control messages to various network traffic sources, which can require differing control instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Mohan Gawande, Daniel T. Luan, Mark A. Ratcliffe
  • Publication number: 20040205190
    Abstract: Systems for graceful termination of support for session initiation protocol communications on a server. Systems include means for setting a time period for gracefully terminating such support, means for sending a service unavailable message to a client, means for causing the server to maintain support, until no later than the expiration of the time period for terminating support, for uncompleted session initiation protocol invites accepted by the server before sending the service unavailable message to the client, and means for terminating support for session initiation protocol communications on the server no later than upon expiration of the time period for terminating support. Methods for graceful termination of such support. Computer-readable media whose contents cause a computer system to perform a graceful termination of such support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Applicant: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Koan S. Chong, James R. Dobbins, Mark A. Ratcliffe
  • Publication number: 20040066921
    Abstract: A network includes a space chattering mechanism for maximizing server throughput under overload conditions. The server provides control messages to various network traffic sources, which can require differing control instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Inventors: Mohan Gawande, Daniel T. Luan, Mark A. Ratcliffe
  • Patent number: 6665730
    Abstract: A transaction-based routing system applies particular routing procedures wherein one example uses Global Title Translation (“GTT”) techniques for a connection-oriented packet network. The network comprises a plurality of nodes including intermediate and edge nodes. Initially, intermediate nodes in the network receive data messages including originating node identifiers and first translation requests from originating edge nodes and route these messages, based on the first translation requests, over selected network routing paths to destination edge nodes. In response, intermediate nodes receive response data messages including the originating node identifiers and second translation requests from destination edge nodes and route these response messages, based on the second translation requests, over selected network routing paths to the originating nodes. These routing procedures help reduce the complexity of logical connectivity in the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Steven M. Michelson, Mark A. Ratcliffe
  • Patent number: 6377674
    Abstract: In processing a global title translation request, a segmentation directory performs a directory function based on information found in a services-related portion of a global title translation request, resulting in call parameters that allow the segmentation directory to determine the point code/subsystem number of a service processor needed to complete a call. Without altering a services-related portion of the global title translation request, a modified version of the global title translation request is sent to the service processor. Additionally, the segmentation directory can respond directly to exception and error conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Koan S. Chong, Robert Yaeger Peters, Jr., Mark A. Ratcliffe
  • Publication number: 20010053218
    Abstract: A “TC Correlate” mechanism correlates the outgoing TC-dialogue of an originating signaling point (SP) with the outgoing TC-dialogue at an intermediate SP. It allows an intermediate SP to terminate its TC-dialogue (signaling transaction) after it is no longer needed from a functional standpoint, while preserving end-to-end TCAP connectivity. It also allows an intermediate signaling point (e.g., switch or database) to forward a query to a second signaling point (e.g., second switch or database), while otherwise staying out of the TC-dialogue. In both instances, greater efficiency and better use of network resources can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Publication date: December 20, 2001
    Inventors: Alex Leung, Mark A. Ratcliffe
  • Patent number: 6205557
    Abstract: A telecommunications network includes at least an active and a standby call server, the standby call server becoming active upon failure of the active call server. To facilitate rapid switch-over from the active to the standby call server and to prevent the loss of call processing data for calls in the call setup stage, the active call server sends call information to the standby call server during intervals in which the active call server is awaiting subsequent signaling messages from elements of the telecommunications network. In this way, the standby call server has the call information needed to commence call processing upon failure of the active call server, and the active call server makes efficient use of time while awaiting a reply signaling message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Koan S. Chong, Martin C. Dolly, Andrew R. Jacob, Carolyn R. Johnson, Wonseok Lee, David George Lewis, Pamela M. Moricz, Mark A. Ratcliffe
  • Patent number: 6101494
    Abstract: The apparatus and method of the present invention provides even loadsharing of round-robin querying of replicated databases in a network architecture which responds to network conditions. The network architecture utilizes a round-robin routing table that includes correlated index numbers, point codes and addresses of the replicated databases. The network architecture responds to incoming queries with searching of the round-robin routing table by incrementing to a successor index number and an associated point code. The network architecture may further determine whether the database at the address pointed by the point code is accessible. If not, the network architecture increments to another successor index number to locate an accessible database. When an accessible database is found, the point code is set to the address of the accessible database and the query is forwarded to that address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Bahman Khosravi-Sichani, Donald Jay Mintz, Mark A. Ratcliffe
  • Patent number: D441770
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: James R. Bardin, Mark Ratcliffe, M. Allison Gadrix, Jason E. Allen, Shaun B. Gatipon, Tom Antista, Brian Ikeda, Willis Whiteside, Jairo Martinez, Meinhard Hausleitner