Patents Assigned to AT&T Intellectual Property, II
  • Patent number: 8788258
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer-readable media for performing translations from a source language to a target language. The method comprises receiving a source phrase, generating a target bag of words based on a global lexical selection of words that loosely couples the source words/phrases and target words/phrases, and reconstructing a target phrase or sentence by considering all permutations of words with a conditional probability greater than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Srinivas Bangalore, Patrick Haffner, Stephan Kanthak
  • Patent number: 8787542
    Abstract: A “customized” caller ID service platform is utilized within a telecommunications network (which may be the PSTN, an IP network, or any other network for supporting voice communication) to allow for the caller ID information transmitted to a called party to be tailored to the specific called party. A database within the platform is configured to store a listing of registered subscribers and a set of “pre-defined called numbers” associated with each subscriber. For each listed number, the subscriber provides the specific customized information (for example, an account number) that is to be transmitted to that specific called number as the caller ID information. A registered subscriber is able to gain access to the platform and modify the entries as need be.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Farah, Richard Palazzo
  • Publication number: 20140201530
    Abstract: The present invention provides system and method for providing certified voice and/or multimedia mail messages in a broadband signed communication system which uses packetized digital information. Cryptography is used to authenticate a message that has been compiled from streaming voice or multimedia packets. A certificate of the originator's identity and electronic signature authenticates the message. A broadband communication system user may be provisioned for certified voice and/or multimedia mail by registering with a certified mail service provider and thereby receiving certification. The called system user's CPE electronically signs the bits in received communication packets and returns the message with an electronic signature of the called system user to the calling party, along with the system user's certificate obtained from the service provider/certifying authority during registration. The electronic signature is a cryptographic key of the called party.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventor: Aviel D. Rubin
  • Patent number: 8781098
    Abstract: In a method for use in Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, an IVR is configured such that voice prompts provided to a caller vary systematically and caller hang-up activity is attributed to the particular version of a prompt played to the caller. Voice prompt modifications are chosen based on how long the caller willingly listens to the voice prompt. A relatively short time listening to a prompt before hang-up, indicates dissatisfaction with that prompt. The system compares caller hang-up rates for each of the phrases in a prompt and chooses the optimum solution, which is the variant of the prompt with the longest caller listening time. Optionally, the system compares hang up rates to a threshold and contingent on that comparison chooses an alternative version of the prompt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Harry E. Blanchard, Steven H. Lewis, Gregory Pulz, Lan Zhang
  • Patent number: 8780895
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting relocation of endpoint devices used for accessing services provided on packet networks, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networks are disclosed. For example, the method receives a report of a detected inertial movement of a customer endpoint device, and the method then uses the report of the detected inertial movement for determining whether a relocation of the customer endpoint device has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Robert J. McLaughlin, Ali M. Cherchali
  • Patent number: 8781085
    Abstract: A telephone network voting system receives telephone ballots cast by voters by dialing a telephone number. The telephone number is dialed by voters spread over a large geographic area. The voting calls are routed to points of presence local to or otherwise identified with the caller by using the caller's ANI or other originating number identification. The points of presence then accumulate votes and periodically forward tallies to a centralized location over a data network. Instructions may be transmitted from the centralized location to the points of presence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Fred Burg, John Kantonides, Larry Russell
  • Patent number: 8781996
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer-readable media process a series of media files into a searchable format. The method includes generating a media database by processing each of a plurality of programs. The steps of the method include extracting a subtitle track from each of the programs, retrieving at least one frame associated with the subtitle track, adding metadata to the extracted subtitle track and at least one frame, processing the subtitle track, program statistics and at least one frame in a media database. Another aspect includes receiving a user query associated with dialog in a program, searching the media database and presenting a listing of results, receiving a user selection or program from their listing and transmitting at least one frame, a portion of associated subtitle track and prompts for ordering the program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventor: Simon D. Byers
  • Patent number: 8780901
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining network connectivity over power lines is disclosed. Such network connectivity is maintained even if various customers are covered by different power line networks or if one or more power lines in a network are unavailable to transmit data. More particularly, in order to bridge a gap in a power line network, one or more messages are extracted from a first node in a power line network and are then transmitted to a second node via free space transmission, illustratively wireless radio frequency (RF) transmission conforming to one or more of the 802.11a, b or g standards. When those messages are received at the second node, the message is injected back into the power line on the other side of a gap in power line coverage. This method of transmission backup will continue until power line connectivity is restore upon which the preferred method will be selected and used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Alan K. Au, Farhad Barzegar, Edward J. Dolan, Irwin Gerszberg, Jeremiah A. Okoro
  • Patent number: 8780697
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method comprising: in a network at a node located on a label switched path: selecting a backup path to respond to a failure; and for each link along the backup path, reserving a backup bandwidth, wherein the backup bandwidth is sufficient to reroute traffic around the failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Guangzhi Li, Dongmei Wang
  • Publication number: 20140192924
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for reducing the peak to average power ratio (PAP) of a signal with low computational complexity. According to one embodiment, the present invention is applied to reduce the PAP of an OFDM signal. According to an alternative embodiment, the present invention, is applied to reduce the PAP of a CDMA signal. Rather than seeking the optimum solution, which involves significant computational complexity, the present invention provides for a number of sub-optimal techniques for reducing the PAP of an OFDM signal but with much lower computational complexity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: LEONARD JOSEPH CIMINI, JR., Nelson Ray Sollenberger
  • Publication number: 20140196068
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for processing viewer profiles and program metadata from a number of sources to provide viewing suggestions and recommendations to one or more viewers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Lee Begeja, Charles Douglas Blewett, David Crawford Gibbon, Zhu Liu, Bernard S. Renger, Kenneth H. Rosen, Behzad Shahraray
  • Patent number: 8774394
    Abstract: A method and system for managing requests in a hold queue and the responses thereto are described. By providing a management system for handling requests in a call queue, a requesting party may be free to perform other tasks while waiting for a response. In addition, the management system may modify request priority independently of a party receiving the request. The method and system may further facilitate the entry of request related information by implementing an information database. The flexibility of a receiving party in responding to a request may also be enhanced through a greater selection of response options. The management system and method may further provide automatic backup and secondary options if a receiving party's first option is unfeasible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Roberta Bienfait, Richard V. Cox, Behzad Nadji, Bernard S. Renger, Behzad Shahraray
  • Patent number: 8774387
    Abstract: A method and system including receiving a communication from a source, the communication including a request to connect to a destination, connecting, via a communication link, to the destination, detecting an event on the communication link to the destination, and connecting the source to the destination after detecting the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, LP
    Inventors: Giuseppe Di Fabbrizio, Bernard S. Renger, Benjamin J. Stern
  • Patent number: 8775521
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for detecting a zombie attack in a network having a plurality of computers. The method and system include a network analysis module for determining, for each computer, a working set of email addresses associated with emails sent by each computer. A zombie attack is detected by determining at least one of: 1) at least one computer in the plurality is transmitting more than a threshold rate of emails, 2) that at least one of the computers is transmitting more than a first threshold number of emails to email addresses outside of its associated working set, 3) that a first threshold number of computers in the plurality are transmitting email messages to email addresses outside of their associated working set, and 4) that more than a second threshold number of computers are transmitting more than a second threshold number of emails to a recipient computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: John Feaver, Tony Hansen
  • Patent number: 8775639
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling consumers to scan RFID tags using home based endpoint devices that can transmit the scanned information to network based services are disclosed. Using the RFID scanned information, consumers can then access, retrieve and view additional information regarding products, in which RFIDs are embedded, on video display devices, such as televisions or video display monitors. This product related information can include interactive technical support, companion product information, or instructional guidelines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Patent number: 8776179
    Abstract: A trust propagation system is disclosed that propagates trust data based on established trust relationships. The trust system may automatically propagate trust data between parties A and C based on trust relationships with a common party B. Trust data may include authentication data such as biometric data, encryption data, passwords, etc. that may be used to conduct exclusive communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Pradeep K. Bansal, Lee Begeja, Carroll W. Creswell, Jeffrey Farah, Benjamin J. Stern, Jay Wilpon
  • Patent number: 8775176
    Abstract: A system, method and computer readable medium that provides an automated web transcription service is disclosed. The method may include receiving input speech from a user using a communications network, recognizing the received input speech, understanding the recognized speech, transcribing the understood speech to text, storing the transcribed text in a database, receiving a request via a web page to display the transcribed text, retrieving transcribed text from the database, and displaying the transcribed text to the requester using the web page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Mazin Gilbert, Stephan Kanthak
  • Publication number: 20140188480
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for generating customized text-to-speech voices for a particular application. The method comprises generating a custom text-to-speech voice by selecting a voice for generating a custom text-to-speech voice associated with a domain, collecting text data associated with the domain from a pre-existing text data source and using the collected text data, generating an in-domain inventory of synthesis speech units by selecting speech units appropriate to the domain via a search of a pre-existing inventory of synthesis speech units, or by recording the minimal inventory for a selected level of synthesis quality. The text-to-speech custom voice for the domain is generated utilizing the in-domain inventory of synthesis speech units. Active learning techniques may also be employed to identify problem phrases wherein only a few minutes of recorded data is necessary to deliver a high quality TTS custom voice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Srinivas BANGALORE, Junlan Feng, Mazin G. Rahim, Juergen Schroeter, Ann K. Syrdal, David Schulz
  • Publication number: 20140187198
    Abstract: A method and arrangement for providing location information of a called mobile communication device to a calling party are implemented through a mobile device locator platform disposed in the communication network. A mobile device subscriber to the location service initiates a process where the location of his mobile device is updated on a regular basis and the location information stored in a database on the platform. When a call is placed to his subscribed device, the location information is transmitted to the calling party prior to setting up the call to the called device, allowing the calling party to determine whether or not to proceed with the call, as well as eliminating the need to ask the common question “where are you?” when placing a call to a mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventor: Steven Todd
  • Publication number: 20140185431
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for failing over from a current network access medium to an alternative network access medium. A customer premises equipment (CPE) box has ports for connections to a network through several network access media, such as high speed cable connections, DSL connections and dial-up connections. QoS parameters for each of the connections are monitored from a bandwidth manager remote from the CPE box. When it is determined that a fail-over would be beneficial, a message is sent from the bandwidth manager to the CPE box containing a command to fail-over and an identity of the alternate network access media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Yihsiu Chen, Mark Jeffrey Foladare, Samuel Glazer, Shelley B. Goldman, Thaddeus Julius Kowalski