Billing Patents (Class 455/406)
  • Patent number: 10880778
    Abstract: A method of operating a node device in a network of communicatively interconnected node devices wherein a node device is arranged to transmit a message once in said network, the node device comprising a host part and a controller part. The host part is arranged for maintaining a list identifying messages received at the node device and the controller part is arranged for storing messages to be transmitted by the node device in a cache buffer. The method comprises the steps of removing, by the controller part, a message from the cache buffer, forwarding, by the controller part, to the host part, upon removal of the message, an update message identifying the removed message, and updating, by the host part, based on the update message, the list of messages. A corresponding node device arranged for performing a method according to the present disclosure and a computer program product are also presented herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Pontus Arvidson, Piergiuseppe di Marco, Per Skillermark
  • Patent number: 10873670
    Abstract: A system and computer implemented method which determines usage and available rate plans, at least some of which are pool eligible. Based on expected usage for a billing cycle, the system and method modifies rate plans for one or more devices to migrate devices in and out of the pool(s) and/or modify plans and data available to the pool in order to reduce cost of telecommunications services for the devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Tangoe US, Inc.
    Inventors: Joan Schrenkel, Robert King, Eric Sendelbach
  • Patent number: 10873906
    Abstract: A network system comprises a first logic block providing a link to a first network via an access point of a WLAN and a second logic block communicating with a node of a second network (such as a WPAN) and configured to provide a link between the node and the first network via the access point. The network system is configured to maintain continuous connections to both the access point and the node while receiving power. The second logic block can communicate with the node using a modified communication protocol that is only partially compliant with an 802.11x communications protocol. A wireless hub can integrate a WPAN with a WLAN including, in part, a wireless circuit compliant with the WLAN standard (such as an 802.11x standard), a processor, and a memory. The wireless circuit can connect to the WPAN without losing connectivity (such as association and synchronization) to the WLAN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Ozmo Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Katelijn Vleugels, Roel Peeters
  • Patent number: 10869227
    Abstract: A method of operating a node device (20) in a network (10) of communicatively interconnected node devices wherein a node device (20) is arranged to transmit a message once in said network (10), the node device (20) comprising a host part (30) and a controller part (40). The host part (30) is arranged for maintaining a list (31) identifying messages received at the node device (20) and the controller part (40) is arranged for storing messages to be transmitted by the node device (20) in a cache buffer (41). The method comprises the steps of removing, by the controller part (40), a message from the cache buffer (41), forwarding, by the controller part (40), to the host part (30), upon removal of the message, an update message identifying the removed message, and updating, by the host part (30), based on the update message, the list of messages (31). A corresponding node device (20) arranged for performing a method according to the present disclosure and a computer program product are also presented herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Pontus Arvidson, Piergiuseppe Di Marco, Per Skillermark
  • Patent number: 10853366
    Abstract: In non-limiting examples of the present disclosure, systems and methods for rewriting expressions utilizing cooperative visitors are provided. A data request may be received by a computing device, which may then be represented in a data structure, e.g., an expression tree, representative of the data request. A node within the data structure representative of the data request may be visited. Metadata associated with at least one cooperative visitor may be extracted from the node, and the node may then be transformed by applying the at least one cooperative visitor to the node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Bart De Smet, Eric Anthony Rozell
  • Patent number: 10827016
    Abstract: One example method includes receiving, by the one or more processors and from a user device, a request for a service, the request including a user identification of a user of the user device; determining, by the one or more processors, a consumption quantity of the service, the consumption quantity indicating a value associated with providing the service; determining, by the one or more processors, a pre-created general resource account associated with the user identification and including a total value that indicates an aggregated value of one or more sets of prepaid resources that belong to the user; and deducting, by the one or more processors, one or more prepaid resources from the total value of the general resource account, the one or more prepaid resources adding up to the value of the consumption quantity of the service, and in response, providing the service to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Limited
    Inventor: Li Zhuang
  • Patent number: 10820188
    Abstract: Various example embodiments relating to an electronic device are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sungoh Kim, Jeongdon Kang, Jaehyeon Seo, Sangsoo Lee, Sanghwi Lee, Jieun Jung, Sunmin Hwang
  • Patent number: 10819860
    Abstract: Various methods for a 3GPP defined Charging and Collection Function are employed that may use a microservices approach. The microservice approach may decompose the function of the network elements into component level functions that may be deployed as separate functional elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: James Edward Oliver, Ming Mei Lee, Debra Sparks
  • Patent number: 10813167
    Abstract: In a 5th-Generation (5G) cellular communication network, charging customers for data usage is performed by a network function referred to as a charging function (CHF). A session management function (SMF) of the network repeatedly sends update requests to reserve additional data for a data session. If the CHF is not available and the SMF does not receive a response to an update message, the SMF continues to assign data for the data session, even though it has not received authorization to do so from the CHF. When the CHF becomes available, the SMF sends a request to start a second data session to continue the data connection that was previously supported by the original data session. This request specifies the amount of data that was used in the original data session without being confirmed by the CHF, allowing the CHF to account for this data usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Engelhart
  • Patent number: 10805410
    Abstract: One example method includes receiving, by the one or more processors and from a user device, a request for a service, the request including a user identification of a user of the user device; determining, by the one or more processors, a consumption quantity of the service, the consumption quantity indicating a value associated with providing the service; determining, by the one or more processors, a pre-created general resource account associated with the user identification and including a total value that indicates an aggregated value of one or more sets of prepaid resources that belong to the user; and deducting, by the one or more processors, one or more prepaid resources from the total value of the general resource account, the one or more prepaid resources adding up to the value of the consumption quantity of the service, and in response, providing the service to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Limited
    Inventor: Li Zhuang
  • Patent number: 10805856
    Abstract: A central unit (300A) and a first distributed unit (300B) of a first network node (300) and methods therein, for handling a communication with a wireless device (302) in a wireless network. The central unit (300A) sends an indication to the first distributed unit (300B) to indicate whether a current procedure for the wireless device is an inter-central unit procedure or an intra-central unit procedure. The first distributed unit (300B) is thereby able to decide whether to send information about the communication to the central unit via a user plane or via a control plane, based on a reduced amount of signalling including the indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Matteo Fiorani, Angelo Centonza, Gunnar Mildh, Ioanna Pappa
  • Patent number: 10795940
    Abstract: A chatbot-based cloud management system, including: an interface for receiving a query from a client through a plurality of access channels, and delivering a response generated in response to the received query to the client; a chatbot engine for performing a response processing to the query based on a chat learning model learned in advance and a chat knowledge context, and outputting event occurrence information when a request event from the query occurs; and a processing engine for confirming failure occurrence situation of an infra where the request event has occurred and providing it to the chatbot engine by generating failure countermeasures corresponding to the failure occurrence situation based on a failure model learned in advance and a failure processing rule, when event occurrence information is received from the chatbot engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Bespin Global Inc.
    Inventors: Jong Mok Choi, Jun Tai Kim, Min Sang Park, Min Soo Jeong
  • Patent number: 10791507
    Abstract: A broker network may be configured to serve as an intermediary between one or more radio providers and one or more mobile service providers for reservation of remote radio units (RRUs) for use in a virtualized radio access network (vRAN) environment. The broker network may receive, from a mobile network, a message indicating a request for identification of RRUs of at least one radio provider. The broker network may send, to the mobile network, one or more messages including a plurality of identifiers which identify a plurality of RRUs, and a geographic location and capabilities associated with each RRU. After receiving a selection of an RRU, the broker network may send to the RRU a message which triggers communication with a virtualized Distributed Unit (vDU) for a remote configuration of parameters in the selected RRU, so that it may be used to facilitate communication with UEs in the mobile network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Arghya Mukherjee, Om Prakash Suthar, Yoshitaka Nagami, Fei Gao, Santanu Dasgupta
  • Patent number: 10791458
    Abstract: In some examples, information is transferred between a first mobile device and a second mobile device. For instance, the second mobile device may receive, from the first mobile device, user information comprising a user communication identifier. Further, a communication may be transmitted via a communication interface device on the second mobile device. The communication may include the user communication identifier in place of a device communication identifier of the communication interface device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Razer (Asia-Pacific) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Brian Chu, Justin Quan, Michael Chan
  • Patent number: 10791197
    Abstract: In some implementations, a computing system can manage access to media sources associated with a user's media account. For example, the system can coordinate access to a user's media account between local and network devices such that when access to the user's media account is granted to an application on a user device, the application can access both local and network media sources associated with the user's media account. Similarly, when access to the user's media account is revoked from an application at a user device or at a network device, the application is prevented from accessing both local and network media sources associated with the user's media account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Alsina, Zhiyuan Zhao, Kenneth C. Barry, David K. Heller
  • Patent number: 10778849
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are described for generating customized service plans for a wireless telecommunications network. An operator of a wireless telecommunications network may allow users to access the network in accordance with a service plan, which may specify terms and conditions associated with usage of the network (e.g., types of usage, amounts of usage, geographic areas, associated mobile devices and users, subscription fees, etc.). Customized, user-specific service plans for the wireless network may be generated and implemented by determining that a user satisfies one or more criteria for applying service plan modifications. A user may be required to agree to specified conditions, such as upgrading a mobile device or subscribing for a specified time period, in order to accept a customized service plan. Multiple modifications may be applied to a base service plan, and plans and/or modifications for which the user is eligible may be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: David Malone Dempster, Stacy Lynn Milligan, Benjamin Zachary White
  • Patent number: 10777854
    Abstract: A power system within a battery-powered node includes a primary cell, a secondary cell, and a battery controller. The battery controller includes a constant current source that draws power from the primary cell to charge the secondary cell. The battery-powered node draws power from the secondary cell across a wide range of current levels. When the voltage of the secondary cell drops beneath a minimum voltage level, the constant current source charges the secondary cell and a charging signal is sent to the battery-powered node. When the voltage of the second cell exceeds a maximum voltage level, the constant current source stops charging the secondary cell and the charging signal is terminated. The battery-powered node records the amount of time the charging signal is active and then determines a battery depletion level based on that amount of time. Battery replacement may then be efficiently scheduled based on the depletion level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Itron Networked Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce Edwards
  • Patent number: 10771561
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a subordinate mobile communication device (SMCD) receives a content access profile from a dispatcher. The content access profile includes (i) proxy server selection criteria to facilitate the SMCD to select between a plurality of proxy servers based on a current transport mechanism type (e.g., WiFi, 3G, Satellite, etc.), each of the plurality of proxy servers being configured by the dispatcher to provide different degrees of support for Internet-based services to the SMCD, and/or (ii) a set of Internet-based service access rules to facilitate the SMCD to independently determine whether to grant or deny access by the SMCD to Internet-based services based on the current transport mechanism type of a connection between the SMCD and an access network. The SMCD determines its current transport mechanism type and uses the content access profile to selectively engage with a given Internet-based service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: OMNITRACS, LLC
    Inventors: David S. Cha, Daniel A. Deninger, Kenneth H. Oertle, Jason M. Riggs
  • Patent number: 10750030
    Abstract: In a system in which a wireless access network and another network are connected to each other, an accurate fee is charged in a case where data held in an application server disposed in the wireless access network is used. The application server holds an application and data relating to the application. A usage mode information generating unit generates usage mode information which is information relating to a usage mode when the wireless terminal uses the held data. A network data usage amount measuring unit measures a network data usage amount when the wireless terminal uses data on another network via a wireless access network connected to the wireless terminal. A fee charging unit charges a fee on the basis of the measured network data usage amount and charge a fee on a basis of the generated usage mode information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroaki Takano
  • Patent number: 10742773
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present application disclose a protocol conversion method, a protocol conversion platform and a protocol conversion gateway to reduce difficulty of information interaction between a superior data platform and a subordinate data platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: HANGZHOU HIKVISION SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 10743277
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system that manages utilization of mobile subscriber identity information including enabling use of such information by different communication devices. The use of the same mobile subscriber identity information by multiple devices can be based on locations and other mobile subscriber identity information can be assigned to devices based on the locations. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P., AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
    Inventors: Walter Cooper Chastain, Stephen Emille Chin
  • Patent number: 10743288
    Abstract: Embodiments use the principles of self-organizing networks to allocate resources to allow spectrum owners to share spectrum with wireless carriers according to defined license conditions. A spectrum licensee holds the licensing conditions of the spectrum licensed by the spectrum owners. This licensed spectrum is referred to as secondary spectrum. A self-organizing network server requests access to secondary spectrum. The spectrum licensee grants access to the secondary spectrum along with the licensing conditions for access. The self-organizing network server monitors the conditions associated with the license and/or delegates the responsibility for monitoring conditions associated with the license to others. When the license conditions are met, enhanced Node B systems may begin using the secondary spectrum according to the license conditions. When the license conditions are no longer met, enhanced Node B systems discontinue use of the secondary spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joey Chou, Muthaiah Venkatachalam
  • Patent number: 10735574
    Abstract: An example operation may include one or more of initiating a share operation, via a first mobile device, to share contact information with a second mobile device, identifying, via an application server, a first mobile device telephone number assigned to the first mobile device and a first alias telephone number to assign to the first mobile device, among available alias telephone numbers stored in a database associated with the application server, identifying, via the application server, a second mobile device telephone number assigned to the second mobile device and a second alias telephone number to assign to the second mobile device, among available alias telephone numbers stored in a database associated with the application server, and assigning the first alias telephone number to the first mobile device and the second alias telephone number to the second mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Inventor: Jim McDonald
  • Patent number: 10735940
    Abstract: Steering logic from a home network may allow a subscriber to roam toward a preferred foreign network while the subscriber is roaming from the home network to the foreign network. The steering logic may be built around the capability of the device or its information in various registers or other information that indicates which networks are preferred for the device. This logic may be part of a roaming agreement that is negotiated between mobile network operators (MNOs); e.g., home MNOs and foreign MNOs. In this manner, internet-of-things (IoT) devices may be steered to a specific network or first foreign network provider, voice-over-long-term-evolution (VoLTE) devices may be steered to a second foreign network partner, and non-VoLTE devices may be steered to a third foreign network partner. In this way, a network operator may preserve their network bandwidth for devices that require or may use particular network technologies while others do not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Nandita Sharma
  • Patent number: 10726441
    Abstract: For each product category offered by an on-line retailer, the most popular or biggest selling products are identified. The on-line retailer competes with a bricks-and-mortar store in the sale of the identified products. A dedicated area is provided within the store. In this area, the store provides, for each identified product, both: 1) a physical purchasable unit of the product, and 2) descriptive information about the product. The descriptive information includes: 1) an identification of the product, 2) an identification of the on-line retailer, 3) a price at which the product is offered on-line by the on-line retailer, and 4) a price at which the product is offered at the store. The customer can use the descriptive information to confirm the prices, and can then purchase a physical unit of the product, and can immediately take the unit from the store without having to wait for, and pay for, shipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Inventor: Youn Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 10719570
    Abstract: A method including receiving an indication for a digital alert associated with a specific action for a user account of a user; generating and outputting a first message comprising a web page link; receiving an indication of a request to access the web page link by the user device; responsive to receiving the indication of the request to access the web page link, accessing, based on the indication for a digital alert, user-specific information associated with the user account from the at least one third-party device; and generating, based on the indication for a digital alert and the user-specific information, a customized user interaction-specific web page comprising the user-specific information associated with the user account and at least one user input field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: CAPITAL ONE SERVICES, LLC
    Inventors: DiAndrea Kessee, Lingyu Chu
  • Patent number: 10715680
    Abstract: Embodiments of this application provide a charging method. The method includes that a session management function determines, a data flow within a protocol data unit, PDU, session and a charging key corresponding to the data flow within the PDU session, wherein a plurality of user plane functions are involved in the PDU session. For each of the plurality of user plane functions, the session management function sends to an online charging system, a quota request for a charging key without available quota for the UPF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Xiaoqian Chai
  • Patent number: 10715633
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for maintaining reachability of an application moving between a central cloud network and a fog network using duplicate endpoint identifiers. Network characteristics of a cloud environment are monitored. The cloud environment includes a central cloud network and a fog network. A server in the central cloud network hosts an application that serves a client device. The application is assigned an endpoint identifier that is mapped to a locator identifier associated with the central cloud network. It is determined that a condition for moving the application to the fog network is satisfied based on the monitored network characteristics. An instance of the application is installed on a server in the fog network. The endpoint identifier is assigned to the application instance and mapped to a locator identifier associated with the fog network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Laxmi Mukund, Victor M. Moreno
  • Patent number: 10708730
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and machine readable non-transitory storage medium for a SDCI pull and push mode optimization are provided, which comprise synchronizing a caching timer and an allowed delay between a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) and a Packet Flow Description Function (PFDF); comparing the caching timer and the allowed delay; and pushing an updated Packet Flow Description (PFD) from the PFDF to the PCEF based on a result of the comparing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS OY
    Inventor: Yang Shen
  • Patent number: 10698962
    Abstract: One or more processors determine a first amount of data that was provided to a program by a data source. One or more processors analyze a degree of usage of the first amount of data by the program. One or more processors determine a second amount of data that was used by the program based, at least in part, on the degree of usage. The second amount of data is a portion of the first amount of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Steve McDuff
  • Patent number: 10701215
    Abstract: Various methods for a 3GPP defined Charging and Collection Function are employed that may use a microservices approach. The microservice approach may decompose the function of the network elements into component level functions that may be deployed as separate functional elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: James Edward Oliver, Ming Mei Lee, Debra Sparks
  • Patent number: 10694047
    Abstract: The application is directed to a method and system for tracking and managing data usage on a wireless device. A graphical user interface is displayed on a wireless device for tracking and managing data usage over a predetermined time. A request is received via the graphical user interface to set an alert. The alert indicates when the data usage exceeds a predefined value. A determination is made whether the data usage exceeds the predefined value. Further, an alert is transmitted to the wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: TracFone Wireless, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick J. Pollak
  • Patent number: 10686680
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a system and method for the monitoring of email and other message traffic on a network. The intent of the monitoring to determine if message traffic is abnormal, thus indicating unwanted messages such as spam. A number of methods may be utilized by the invention to recognize unwanted messages, including the calculation of fanout, the number of messages sent by a unique host, unique email address or domain. Also included is fanin, the number of messages received from unique hosts, unique domains or unique email addresses. Further components consider the number of error messages received from a host, variations in bandwidth from a host, and variations in message content from a host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Sandvine Corporation
    Inventors: Don Bowman, Harmeet Bedi
  • Patent number: 10681222
    Abstract: Embodiments of this application disclose a charging management method, a user plane function entity, and a control plane function entity. The method includes: receiving, by a UP, a first usage reporting rule (URR) and a second URR sent by a CP, where the first URR is correlated with the second URR; when usage information on the UP reaches a threshold of the first URR, obtaining, by the UP, usage information corresponding to the first URR and usage information corresponding to a third URR correlated with the first URR; and sending, by the UP to the CP, the usage information corresponding to the first URR and the usage information corresponding to the third URR, so that the CP generates a charging data record based on the usage information corresponding to the first URR and the usage information corresponding to the third URR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yali Yan, Xiaoyi Xia, Guangwei He, Yanping Zhang, Weihua Qiao
  • Patent number: 10672004
    Abstract: A method for detecting fraudulent sign-ups at a payment system is discussed. The method includes receiving a suspect sign-up request for creating a new user account at the payment system. The method includes providing access to a new duplicate user account responsive to receiving the suspect sign-up request, the new duplicate user account imitating the new user account. The method includes initiating a fraud determination of whether the suspect sign-up request is fraudulent. The method includes receiving a request from the user device, the request for adding a new financial account to the new user account. The method includes providing an indication of an addition of the new financial account to the new user account. The method also includes delaying the addition of the new financial account to the new user account until receiving results of the fraud determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: PayPal, Inc.
    Inventors: Yashovardhana Samethanahalli Kote, Srivathsan Narasimhan
  • Patent number: 10671998
    Abstract: A method for detecting fraudulent logins at a payment system is discussed. The method includes receiving a suspect login request for logging into an existing user account at the payment system. The method includes providing access to a duplicate user account responsive to receiving the suspect login request, the duplicate user account being a copy of a portion of the existing user account. The method includes initiating a fraud determination of whether the suspect login request is fraudulent. The method includes receiving a request for transferring a first amount of funds from the existing user account to another account. The method includes providing an indication that the first amount of funds is being transferred to the another account. The method also includes delaying a transfer of the first amount of funds to the another account until receiving results of the fraud determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: PayPal, Inc.
    Inventors: Yashovardhana Samethanahalli Kote, Srivathsan Narasimhan
  • Patent number: 10673865
    Abstract: A method for managing wireless device communications including establishing active, persistent, and repetitive communications with a wireless device operating in a coverage area of a local wireless network. In an example, the local wireless network is and overlay to a portion of a macro wireless network. The repetitive communications include placing a call to the wireless device, completing a call connection to the wireless device, sending a message to the wireless device, receiving and processing a response to the message from the wireless device, and persistently repeating a call function of the placing a call, completing a connection, sending a response, and receiving and processing the response until a specified termination event. In an embodiment, the termination event is a power off of the wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TECORE, INC.
    Inventor: Jay Salkini
  • Patent number: 10671986
    Abstract: Systems and method are described herein for self-serve retail locations (e.g., interactive vending machines or kiosks) that are capable of handling the distribution, collection, and diagnosis of mobile devices in an on-demand manner. The self-serve retail locations may operate continuously (e.g., 24 hours a day, seven days a week). The mobile devices that are rentable and/or purchasable from the self-serve retail location may be equipped and/or activated with service plans (e.g., call, messaging, and/or data plans) offered by a local telecommunications service provider. The service plans may be pre-configured or may be customized in real-time by a user. The self-service retail locations may operate without human intervention, and may be deployed with minimal overhead at several destinations with a much smaller footprint than typical retail locations. A user may access the self-serve retail location to rent and/or purchase mobile devices as well as return previously rented and/or purchased mobile devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Leon Chung-Dai Yen, Omar Hassan
  • Patent number: 10650375
    Abstract: A method of authenticating and exchanging virtual currency is used to permit secure ownership of virtual currency and manage financial transactions. The method is performed by a system that includes a user computing device and plurality of remote servers. The user computing device stores an unverified certificate which is used as currency. The plurality of remote servers is used to authenticate the unverified certificate and aid in transferring ownership of the unverified certificate. To do so, each remote server executes an authentication process for the unverified certificate and sends either a pass status or a fail status to the user computing device. The user computing device executes an assessment process for the unverified certificate based on the pass statuses and fail statuses received. Authentication information related to the unverified certificate is then updated on the user computing device and each remote server that returned the pass status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Inventor: Sean H. Worthington
  • Patent number: 10652399
    Abstract: A mobile virtual network operator is provided. The operator includes a server that is communicatively coupled to a mobile device. The mobile device includes application software provided by the virtual network operator for allowing phone call and data connectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Seven Networks, LLC
    Inventor: Trevor Fiatal
  • Patent number: 10652400
    Abstract: A base station method is provided to control user data traffic. A wireless device is associated with a limited volume of resources for user data traffic. When it remains resources in the limited volume associated the wireless device, the base station receives a first indicator from a core network node. The first indicator indicates that said user data traffic shall be routed to the local cloud. The base station routes the user data traffic over a split bearer. The split bearer comprises a first bearer between the base station and the local cloud in which said user data traffic is routed and a second bearer from the base station to a gateway node. In the second bearer a copy of said user data traffic is routed for measuring the volume of the user data traffic between the wireless device and the local cloud in relation to the limited volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Lars Westberg, Hans Eriksson
  • Patent number: 10645231
    Abstract: A process for authorizing wireless service includes providing a generally rectangular flat form factor card having a first surface and opposing second surface. The process further includes providing a machine-readable activation code arranged on the first surface, wherein the machine-readable activation code is configured to authorize the wireless service when provided to a system associated with a wireless service provider, receiving the machine-readable activation code in a server, the machine-readable activation code being captured by a wireless device, and provisioning the wireless service to the wireless device from a wireless network when the machine-readable activation code is provided to the system associated with the wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: TracFone Wireless, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore Vagelos
  • Patent number: 10645544
    Abstract: A network device stores overload handling criteria for a real-time credit management system of a wireless core network. The network device monitors for overload conditions based on the overload handling criteria and determines, based on the monitoring, that a potential overload condition exists. The network device receives a first credit control request for a user device, determines a standard resource quota that is responsive to the first credit control request, and allocates an increased resource quota, over the standard resource quota, for the first credit control request. The increased resource quota is based on the potential overload condition and the overload handling criteria. The increased resource quota may prevent the system from reaching a complete overload condition, may reduce overall message traffic, and may provide time for manual or autonomous recovery from the circumstance that caused the potential overload condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Hugo David Munoz-Sanchez, Mirza Z. Zillur, Maria Cel Halili Zaballero, Daniel Osorio
  • Patent number: 10637655
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for providing seamless data access from different internet service providers. In operation, a master modem receives a ping from a device for requesting an encrypted key associated with an internet session corresponding to one of a plurality of Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The master modem authenticates the device and responds with the encrypted key. The master modem notifies an Internet Service Provider (ISP) system associated with the internet session with the encrypted key before beginning the internet session with the device. The ISP system verifies parameters to determine whether to allow the session to begin, in response to the notifying. The master modem receives authorization to begin the internet session from the ISP system. The master modem sets a port and speed associated with the master modem to aid in maintaining Quality of Service (QoS) for the internet session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: AMDOCS DEVELOPMENT LIMITED
    Inventors: Karan Grover, Mandeep Singh Sidhu, Navdeep Singh
  • Patent number: 10638311
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a secure communication method for a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal. The secure communication method may include: when a wireless communication connection is established between the mobile terminal and another mobile terminal, and the wireless communication connection meets a preset security processing trigger condition, prohibiting, by means of setting, a program in a common virtual kernel from accessing a shared memory between a secure virtual kernel and the common virtual kernel and accessing a peripheral that needs to be called for the wireless communication connection; performing, by using the secure virtual kernel, preset policy-based processing on communication content corresponding to the wireless communication connection; and outputting, by using the secure virtual kernel, communication content obtained by performing the preset policy-based processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wenhao Li, Yubin Xia, Haibo Chen
  • Patent number: 10631144
    Abstract: Disclosed are a charging method and device configured to realize charging for a local service without affecting an existing charging procedure when a service platform is deployed at a base station side. The charging method of the invention comprises: when a mobile edge computing gateway (MEC-GW) determines that a user equipment (UE) is to be charged for a local service, transmitting, to a mobile edge computing (MEC) server, a message requesting calculation of local service information associated with the UE; receiving, by the MEC-GW, local service calculation information associated with the UE transmitted by the MEC server, and generating, according to the local service calculation information associated with the UE, a charging data record for the local service associated with the UE; and transmitting, by the MEC-GW, the charging data record for the local service to a charging gate (CG).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: DATANG MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jianghai Duan
  • Patent number: 10623579
    Abstract: Measures are provided for use in establishing a telephony session between first and second telephony devices in a telephony network. Telephony network equipment in the telephony network receives, from the first telephony device over a signalling link, a telephony session establishment request. The telephony network equipment receives, from the first telephony device over a data link that is separate to the signalling link, a message comprising data useable by the telephony network equipment to identify the second telephony device. The telephony network equipment correlates the received telephony session establishment request and the received message. The telephony network equipment transmits, to the second telephony device, a telephony session establishment request on the basis of the correlating. The first telephony device is associated with a multi-persona user having a first persona associated with a first telephony identifier and a second persona associated with a second telephony identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd.
    Inventors: David Hotham, Richard Underwood, Andrew Robinson Hodges
  • Patent number: 10609617
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to techniques for dynamically changing coverage modes and/or communication bandwidth in a wireless communication system. According to some embodiments, a wireless device may attach to a serving cell associated with a cellular network. A volume of data for upcoming communication with the cellular network may be determined. An indication of a requested communication bandwidth may be provided to the serving cell. The wireless device may communicate data with the serving cell using the requested communication bandwidth. In some instances, a request for narrowband communication bandwidth may result in use of a coverage enhancement mode, while a request for wideband communication bandwidth may result in use of a normal coverage mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Li Su, Srinivasan Nimmala
  • Patent number: 10609224
    Abstract: The present system relates to a server for providing data connectivity in a packet mode communication network. The server has a processor arranged to receive, via a first brokerage control unit, a charging rule request to allow one or more communication devices in the communication network to exchange with an application server data charged under operator specific billing. The server determines availability of the operator specific billing based on network parameters and the charging rule request, and updates the database of a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) entity in the communication network based on available operator specific billing and an identifier for the application server, for subsequent charging of data exchanged with the application server at said available operator specific billing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: ORANGE
    Inventors: Subash Mandanapu, Manoj Mourya
  • Patent number: 10609587
    Abstract: A location-based system detects anomalies in performance indicators of telecommunication networks. The system generates a plurality of service areas, each service area including a plurality of adjacent cell sites. A performance indicator of a first service area of the plurality of service areas is selected and an aggregated service area performance indicator is generated, by aggregating the selected performance indicator for each cell site of the plurality of cell sites of the first service area. Generation of the plurality of service areas may be related to a determined network traffic threshold. The threshold may be related to: total bandwidth provided by a cell site, or total number of calls handled by a cell site. The selected indicator may be, for example the call set-up success rate (CSSR), or the drop call rate (DCR). An alert related to the aggregated indicator may be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: TEOCO Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Livschitz, Ayal Weissman, Moshe Tocker