Patents by Inventor Nicholas Patrick Alfano
Nicholas Patrick Alfano 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).
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Publication number: 20230050239Abstract: A method at a network element for monitoring user plane traffic for a user equipment, the method including configuring a set of characteristics and a range of values for each of the set of characteristics for user plane traffic between the user equipment and the network element; monitoring user plane traffic for the user equipment at the network element, the monitoring determining whether at least one characteristic of the user plane traffic falls outside of the configured range of a values, resulting in a characteristic violation; and if the at least one characteristic of the user plane traffic falls outside the configured range of a values, performing an action resulting from the characteristic violation.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2022Publication date: February 16, 2023Inventors: Nicholas Patrick ALFANO, Axel FERRAZZINI, Dake HE
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Patent number: 11496496Abstract: A method at a network element for monitoring user plane traffic for a user equipment, the method including configuring a set of characteristics and a range of values for each of the set of characteristics for user plane traffic between the user equipment and the network element; monitoring user plane traffic for the user equipment at the network element, the monitoring determining whether at least one characteristic of the user plane traffic falls outside of the configured range of a values, resulting in a characteristic violation; and if the at least one characteristic of the user plane traffic falls outside the configured range of a values, performing an action resulting from the characteristic violation.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2020Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Nicholas Patrick Alfano, Axel Ferrazzini, Dake He
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Publication number: 20220068120Abstract: A method at an infrastructure unit of signaling a presence of a vulnerable road user, the method including receiving at least one report from a sensor unit, the at least one report indicating the presence of the vulnerable road user; composing a message indicating the presence of the vulnerable road user; and transmitting the message to road users proximate the infrastructure unit on a channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2020Publication date: March 3, 2022Inventors: Nicholas Patrick Alfano, Michael Peter Montemurro, James Randolph Winter Lepp, Leonard Charles Layton, Stephen McCann
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Patent number: 10885781Abstract: A method at a computing device for the computing device to act as an intelligent transportation system (ITS) station for a vehicle, the method including detecting that the computing device is proximate to the vehicle; determining whether ITS messages are being sent on behalf of the vehicle; and if the determining finds ITS messages are not being sent on behalf of the vehicle, the computing device acting as the ITS station for the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2017Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Ian Christopher Drummond Doig, Stephen John Barrett, Nicholas Patrick Alfano, James Randolph Winter Lepp, Roland Emlyn Williams
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Publication number: 20200259853Abstract: A method at a network element for monitoring user plane traffic for a user equipment, the method including configuring a set of characteristics and a range of values for each of the set of characteristics for user plane traffic between the user equipment and the network element; monitoring user plane traffic for the user equipment at the network element, the monitoring determining whether at least one characteristic of the user plane traffic falls outside of the configured range of a values, resulting in a characteristic violation; and if the at least one characteristic of the user plane traffic falls outside the configured range of a values, performing an action resulting from the characteristic violation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Inventors: Nicholas Patrick ALFANO, Axel FERRAZZINI, Dake HE
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Patent number: 10681072Abstract: A method at a network element for monitoring user plane traffic for a user equipment, the method including configuring a set of characteristics and a range of values for each of the set of characteristics for user plane traffic between the user equipment and the network element; monitoring user plane traffic for the user equipment at the network element, the monitoring determining whether at least one characteristic of the user plane traffic falls outside of the configured range of a values, resulting in a characteristic violation; and if the at least one characteristic of the user plane traffic falls outside the configured range of a values, performing an action resulting from the characteristic violation.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2017Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Nicholas Patrick Alfano, Axel Ferrazzini, Dake He
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Patent number: 10493909Abstract: Vehicle communication systems and methods of operating the same. The vehicle communication system includes one or more microphones and one or more loudspeakers positioned about a vehicle. The system includes processor executable instructions for determining that the vehicle is operating in an emergency mode and, in response, activating a first microphone and a first loudspeaker for enabling communication between a first acoustic zone within the vehicle and a second acoustic zone exterior to the vehicle. The system may detect, from one of the first acoustic zone and the second acoustic zone, a first acoustic input and generate a second signal from the detected first acoustic input. The system may transmit the second signal to the first loudspeaker for producing sound waves that are audible in the other of the first acoustic zone and the second acoustic zone.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2018Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignees: BlackBerry Limited, 2236008 Ontario Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Patrick Alfano, Rodney Dwight Rempel
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Publication number: 20190359127Abstract: Vehicle communication systems and methods of operating the same. The vehicle communication system includes one or more microphones and one or more loudspeakers positioned about a vehicle. The system includes processor executable instructions for determining that the vehicle is operating in an emergency mode and, in response, activating a first microphone and a first loudspeaker for enabling communication between a first acoustic zone within the vehicle and a second acoustic zone exterior to the vehicle. The system may detect, from one of the first acoustic zone and the second acoustic zone, a first acoustic input and generate a second signal from the detected first acoustic input. The system may transmit the second signal to the first loudspeaker for producing sound waves that are audible in the other of the first acoustic zone and the second acoustic zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2018Publication date: November 28, 2019Applicant: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Nicholas Patrick ALFANO, Rodney Dwight REMPEL
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Publication number: 20190228789Abstract: An audio or speech enhancement system for a vehicle includes a location-determining subsystem configured to determine a first location of the vehicle and to generate location data representing the first location of the vehicle and an audio/speech-enhancement processor for processing an audio/speech signal wherein the processor is communicatively coupled to the location-determining subsystem for receiving the location data. The processor is configured to predict expected noise at a second location corresponding to a predicted location of the vehicle. The processor is further configured to suppress at least some of the expected noise when the vehicle is at the second location to thereby enhance the audio/speech signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2018Publication date: July 25, 2019Inventors: Nicholas Patrick ALFANO, Rodney Dwight REMPEL
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Publication number: 20190096243Abstract: A method at a computing device for the computing device to act as an intelligent transportation system (ITS) station for a vehicle, the method including detecting that the computing device is proximate to the vehicle; determining whether ITS messages are being sent on behalf of the vehicle; and if the determining finds ITS messages are not being sent on behalf of the vehicle, the computing device acting as the ITS station for the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2017Publication date: March 28, 2019Inventors: Ian Christopher Dummond Doig, Stephen John Barrett, Nicholas Patrick Alfano, James Randolph Winter Lepp, Roland Emlyn Williams
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Publication number: 20190068625Abstract: A method at a network element for monitoring user plane traffic for a user equipment, the method including configuring a set of characteristics and a range of values for each of the set of characteristics for user plane traffic between the user equipment and the network element; monitoring user plane traffic for the user equipment at the network element, the monitoring determining whether at least one characteristic of the user plane traffic falls outside of the configured range of a values, resulting in a characteristic violation; and if the at least one characteristic of the user plane traffic falls outside the configured range of a values, performing an action resulting from the characteristic violation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2017Publication date: February 28, 2019Inventors: Nicholas Patrick ALFANO, Axel FERRAZZINI, Dake HE
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Patent number: 9876904Abstract: A method of communicating information describing a voice call from a caller device to a recipient device. Call subject information describing the call is obtained from the caller device and sent to the recipient device to inform the recipient about the subject of the call. The call subject information is can be presented as a subject line displayed to on the recipient device to inform the recipient about the nature of the call and/or its urgency, thereby enabling the recipient to better determined whether to answer the call. The call subject information can be input by the caller or extracted automatically from an application from which the call was initiated.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2016Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Nicholas Patrick Alfano, William David Castell, David Lloyd Heit, Douglas Michael Gisby, Jan Hendrik Lucas Bakker, Richard John George, Ian James McDonald
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Patent number: 9712377Abstract: An example network device includes a processor configured to execute an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Device Management (DM) server, the OMA DM server to perform operations of: participating in mutual authentication with a second OMA DM server; sending a notification to the second OMA DM server for notifying the second OMA DM server to proceed with a delegation process; and sending, to a DM client, information for modifying an access control list (ACL).Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2012Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Nicholas Patrick Alfano, Douglas Michael Gisby, Axel Ferrazzini, Jason Lee Carter, John Francis Holmes, Thomas Owen Parry, Richard Enrique Lopez
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Patent number: 9642030Abstract: Some aspects of what is described here relate to systems, devices, and computer-implemented methods for capturing data related to a mobile device in a wireless network. In one example, a method may include receiving, at a mobile device, data capture configuration information from a wireless network, the data capture configuration information indicating a data type to be captured from the mobile device in an off-network environment. Thereafter, in response to detecting the off-network environment at the mobile device, a data element is stored in a local memory of the mobile device. The data element corresponds to the data type indicated by the data capture configuration information. The data element is sent to the wireless network, for instance, when the mobile device has access to the wireless network.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2015Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Claude Jean-Frederic Arzelier, Adrian Buckley, Nicholas Patrick Alfano, Eswar Vutukuri
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Patent number: 9591466Abstract: A portable communication device comprises a radio frequency signal transceiver configured to receive an instruction signal; and control electronics configured to detect that the instruction signal has been received; and cause the portable communication device to transmit a beacon signal responsive to the instruction signal being detected by the control electronics.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2012Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: John Barry Fenn, Nicholas Patrick Alfano, Gordon Peter Young
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Patent number: 9532217Abstract: A method for controlling access to a conference call, the method comprising authenticating a mobile device in accordance with access requirements for the conference call rejecting the mobile device if the participant does not comply with the access requirements in response to the rejection, determining by a processor based on information other than said access requirements that the mobile device is legitimate and overriding the rejection to allow connection to the conference call if it is determined that the mobile device is legitimate.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2014Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Douglas Michael Gisby, Brian Edward Anthony McColgan, Christopher Labrador, Kevin W. Andrewin, Nicholas Patrick Alfano
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Patent number: 9525779Abstract: A method of managing communications services begins with a communications platform receiving a request for a communications service to be provided to a communications device by a source other than the communications platform. The communications platform determines an authorization of the communications device to receive the communications service. The authorization comprises a permission of the communications device to receive the communications service during a lifetime of a communications session maintained with the communications device. The communications network authorizes delivery of the communications service to the communications device during the lifetime of the communications session, in accordance with the authorization.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2013Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Christopher Labrador, Brian Alexander Oliver, Douglas Michael Gisby, Susan Elizabeth Simon Daniels, Brian Edward Anthony McColgan, Adrian Michael Logan, Eric Allan Fritzley, Nicholas Patrick Alfano, Richard John George
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Publication number: 20160360435Abstract: Some aspects of what is described here relate to systems, devices, and computer-implemented methods for capturing data related to a mobile device in a wireless network. In one example, a method may include receiving, at a mobile device, data capture configuration information from a wireless network, the data capture configuration information indicating a data type to be captured from the mobile device in an off-network environment. Thereafter, in response to detecting the off-network environment at the mobile device, a data element is stored in a local memory of the mobile device. The data element corresponds to the data type indicated by the data capture configuration information. The data element is sent to the wireless network, for instance, when the mobile device has access to the wireless network.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2015Publication date: December 8, 2016Applicant: BLACKBERRY LIMITEDInventors: Claude Jean-Frederic Arzelier, Adrian Buckley, Nicholas Patrick Alfano, Eswar Vutukuri
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Patent number: 9467338Abstract: Methods and apparatuses relating to Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) device management (DM) are provided. An embodiment provides a method in which a mobile device is configured for: accumulating delta records on the mobile device; and pushing delta records to a DM server when a threshold for the delta records is met or exceeded. The delta records relate to changes made to an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) device management (DM) tree. The delta records may be purged after the pushing operation. Other embodiments provide a mobile device and computer-readable medium for performing or facilitating the method.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2011Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Nicholas Patrick Alfano, Thomas Owen Parry
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Publication number: 20160234381Abstract: A method of communicating information describing a voice call from a caller device to a recipient device. Call subject information describing the call is obtained from the caller device and sent to the recipient device to inform the recipient about the subject of the call. The call subject information is can be presented as a subject line displayed to on the recipient device to inform the recipient about the nature of the call and/or its urgency, thereby enabling the recipient to better determined whether to answer the call. The call subject information can be input by the caller or extracted automatically from an application from which the call was initiated.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2016Publication date: August 11, 2016Applicant: BlackBerry LimitedInventors: Nicholas Patrick Alfano, William David Castell, David Lloyd Heit, Douglas Michael Gisby, Jan Hendrik Lucas Bakker, Richard John George, Ian James McDonald