Patents Assigned to AT & T
  • Publication number: 20090068979
    Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products provide call data associated with calls to and from a mobile communications apparatus. The call data supports a web-accessible call log feature that presents a summary of calling activity to a subscriber of communication services. The method involves completing a call to or from the mobile communications apparatus, storing call data associated with the completed call in a memory of the mobile communications apparatus, and substantially in real time, sending the call data to a management server associated with the web-accessible call log feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Douglas Banes Alston
  • Publication number: 20090070696
    Abstract: A method for programming a remote control device is disclosed and can include displaying a virtual remote control device at a display device. The virtual remote control device is a virtual rendition of a first remote control device to be programmed. The method can further include detecting when a first button is pressed on the first remote control device and indicating a corresponding button on the virtual remote control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, LP
    Inventors: Steven M. Belz, Mark B. Hubscher, Mark A. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20090068987
    Abstract: Centralized authentication systems are provided. A representative system, among others, includes an authentication registration system, a content provider and an internet server. The mobile authentication registration system resides on a content provider, and is operable to receive a single identification number and password from a user independent of a platform the user is associated with, and determine that the identification number and password combination provided by the user is associated with a registered user. The content provider provides personalized content to any of a plurality of registered users on a plurality of platforms. The server receives a connection request from a wireless device, sends an authentication request to the authentication registration system, and provides a personalized content from the content provider to said at least one device. Methods and other systems for multiple access portals are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Douglas R. O'Neil, Jose F. Rivera, William George Thomson
  • Publication number: 20090067591
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network element having a controller to obtain network information associated with establishing a network among a group of communication devices, and provide the network information to a plurality of network set-up devices removably connected to the network element, where each of the plurality of network set-up devices is connectable with a communication device of the group of communication devices to provide at least a portion of the network information to the communication device, and where the network is established based at least in part on the at least a portion of the network information. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, L.P.
    Inventors: STEVEN BELZ, KURT JOSEPH, JAMES PRATT
  • Publication number: 20090066795
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a server in communication with a camera located on a customer premises. The server is adapted to transmit Internet Protocol formatted video, containing a surveillance portion from the camera and an advertisement portion, to a customer premises device. A method for sending the Internet Protocol formatted video is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, LP
    Inventors: Steven M. Wollmershauser, William O. Sprague, JR., Eric Harris
  • Publication number: 20090070845
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media content processor having a controller adapted to detect an event associated with recorded media content derived from one among a plurality of media content sources, select a communication device of a subscriber of the media content processor, retrieve a portion of the recorded media content, generate a notice describing the event, and transmit the notice with the portion of the recorded media content to the communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, L.P.
    Inventors: SCOTT WHITE, James L. Cansler
  • Publication number: 20090066781
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller adapted to establish communications with a voicemail system over a Public Switched Telephone Network port of the communication device, receive from the voicemail system by way of a broadband port of the communication device an invitation to switch to a video call over the broadband port, transmit a Session Initiation Protocol message to establish video communications with the voicemail system, and transmit to the voicemail system a video message to be recorded by the voicemail system as a video voicemail message. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, L.P.
    Inventors: JAMES JACKSON, ANUP KARNALKAR, JYOTINDRA SHAH
  • Publication number: 20090070839
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a first communication device having a controller adapted to determine whether a second communication device is operating within or remote to a local area network of the first communication device, determine an encoding rate according to said determination, and transmit to the second communication device streamed media content according to said encoding rate. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, L.P.
    Inventors: JAMES L. CANSLER, SCOTT WHITE
  • Publication number: 20090070408
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box having a controller to receive primary multimedia content from available multimedia content where a determination of the primary multimedia content is based at least in part on monitored user activity associated with the set top box, store the primary multimedia content, and present the primary multimedia content in response to a request from a user. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, L.P.
    Inventor: SCOTT WHITE
  • Publication number: 20090070113
    Abstract: A voice-enabled help desk service is disclosed. The service comprises an automatic speech recognition module for recognizing speech from a user, a spoken language understanding module for understanding the output from the automatic speech recognition module, a dialog management module for generating a response to speech from the user, a natural voices text-to-speech synthesis module for synthesizing speech to generate the response to the user, and a frequently asked questions module. The frequently asked questions module handles frequently asked questions from the user by changing voices and providing predetermined prompts to answer the frequently asked question.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Narendra K. Gupta, Mazin G. Rahim, Giuseppe Riccardi
  • Patent number: 7503001
    Abstract: Text processors are configured to shorten or compact text based on one or more abbreviation libraries or rule libraries. Messaging methods include such text abbreviation processing to reduce message length based on display properties or to enhance user perception. Message length can be reduced based on abbreviations in a standard abbreviation list, a user specific abbreviation list, or a combination of standard and custom lists. In some examples, text length is shortened based on stored rules. Mobile stations that provide messaging services include text processors that reduce message length and can be configured to process text messages prior to transmission or after reception. Text processors are provided in association with word processors and presentation applications, and are configured to produce shortened text strings. In some examples, full-length text remains is stored so that both shortened text and full text are available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventor: Gaviphat Lekutai
  • Patent number: 7502416
    Abstract: A method comprises determining a plurality of time intervals Tp and Tn within a variable bit rate (VBR) representation of an image sequence. The time intervals Tp are those in which a number of blocks of information per unit time is greater than a baseline value. The time intervals Tn are those in which a number of blocks of information per unit time is less than the baseline value. A second representation of the image sequence is created in which some blocks of information Bp are removed from the time intervals Tp and interlaced with blocks of information Bn in the time intervals Tn to reduce a variation in a number of blocks of information per unit time between the time intervals Tp and Tn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property 1, L.P.
    Inventors: Pierre Costa, Ahmad Ansari, John Robert Erickson
  • Patent number: 7502750
    Abstract: A system and method for notifying salespersons of customer communications including a target item is provided. Individual customers are mapped to one or more salespersons. Target items of interest to a salesperson are defined and a salesperson is associated with a customer. For each salesperson, on-line communication channels are monitored for the occurrence of a communications involving a customer associated with the salesperson and including a target item defined by the salesperson. When such an occurrence happens, a notification is directed to the salesperson. Salesperson access to the system and customer access to the on-line communication channels requires authorization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventor: Steven Todd
  • Patent number: 7502751
    Abstract: A system and method for notifying salespersons of customer communications including a target item is provided. Individual customers are mapped to one or more salespersons. Target items of interest to a salesperson are defined and a salesperson is associated with a customer. For each salesperson, on-line communication channels are monitored for the occurrence of a communications involving a customer associated with the salesperson and including a target item defined by the salesperson. When such an occurrence happens, a notification is directed to the salesperson. Salesperson access to the system and customer access to the on-line communication channels requires authorization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Corp
    Inventor: Steven Todd
  • Patent number: 7502340
    Abstract: The invention provides a system that implements an algorithm for integrated link adaptation and power control to achieve specified error rates and to improve an overall throughput for real-time applications in wireless packet networks. The system initially divides wireless terminals into groups according to their signal path gains. Afterwards, the system can periodically adapt transmissions (i.e., link adaptations) based on the required error rates, actual error statistics and average transmission power for each wireless terminal group. Furthermore, transmission power can be adjusted by an enhanced Kalman-filter method to ensure successful reception.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Justin Che-I Chuang, Kin K Leung, Li-Chun Wang
  • Patent number: 7502457
    Abstract: An AIN service for provides a subscriber the ability to configure outbound call routing rules. Using telecommunications variables such as time of call, call busy status, call unanswered status, and numbers dialed, a subscriber is enabled to configure a service control point to perform an action such as forward a call, send a page with a message, use a dial-around number, or send a PIN. A web browser interface may be used by the subscriber to configure the SCP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Joseph McBlain, Nancy Ann Book, Carol Shifrin Gruchala, William M. Moy, Peter Robert Neuwald
  • Patent number: 7501934
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide for the creation of vehicle sound fonts, for utilizing the vehicle sound fonts to augment the engine sounds of a vehicle, and for establishing a network for sharing and controlling the playback of vehicle sound fonts and other media. The systems install in automobiles and play simulated engine sounds of other recorded vehicles in a controlled manner synchronized with the engine spark frequency of the playback vehicle. Automobiles with these systems may network together to share media and to coordinate playback in a synchronized manner among all vehicles of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventor: Steven Tischer
  • Patent number: 7502622
    Abstract: Architecture that facilitates the broadcast of a custom signature message to one or more portable wireless devices that enter an associated area of coverage. A subscriber to the service pays a premium to have the rights to broadcast the custom message to all users who enter and/or leave the cell. The rights can be exclusive for a coverage area over an extended period of time. For example, a company can subscribe to broadcast a single message to all wireless users who enter a cell for a period of one year. Subscriber account information includes quality-of-service (QoS) data that indicates the highest level of service such that when a wireless device is detected as entering the cell, only the subscriber's message will be broadcast to all users for a brief time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventor: Gaviphat Lekutai
  • Patent number: 7502425
    Abstract: An algorithm for computing an efficient, reduced complexity, windowed optimal linear time domain equalizer for a dispersive channel comprises the steps of determining a window of maximum energy in the impulse response of length equal to or less than a number of cyclic prefix samples associated with a received digital data signal, computing the corresponding inside and outside matrices, performing an inverse Cholesky decomposition of the inside matrix, creating a resultant matrix as the product of the outer and the upper and lower square root inner matrix, followed by Householder reduction and QL transformation to thereby compute the time domain equalizer as the linear transformation of the eigenvector corresponding to the smallest eigenvalue at the receiver. The smallest eigenvalue is determined using the aforementioned orthogonal transformations without determining all the eigenvalues efficiently but without the loss accuracy associated with iterative methods like the conventional power method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Richard H. Erving, Lalitha Sankaranarayanan
  • Patent number: 7502455
    Abstract: A telephone call is billed that originates in a primary carrier telecommunications network and terminates in a secondary telecommunications carrier network. The call is billed by generating multiple billing records in response to the telephone call, at least one billing record comprising a toll free number administered by the secondary carrier. It is determined whether the toll free number is administered by the secondary carrier; and the billing record including the toll free number administered by the secondary carrier is discarded when it is determined that the toll free number is administered by the secondary carrier. Thus, the primary carrier only bills for a portion of the call that was connected from the caller to the termination point of the primary carrier network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Susanne Marie Crockett, Nancy Ann Book, Lucy L. Murphy, Robert B. Lasken