Patents Assigned to AT & T
  • Publication number: 20090040939
    Abstract: A system and method are described for selecting a service state using a configurable abstraction layer. A comparison is made between network parameters of a Network Performance Layer and network services of a Service Layer. Once network parameters are within a threshold for providing a given service, a state change can be made in the configuration parameters to suit the provided service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: John Porter Van Slyke, Raghvendra G. Savoor, Baofeng Jiang, John Cioffi
  • Publication number: 20090043856
    Abstract: An instant messaging system comprising a user interface and a plurality of indicia. The user interface displays the indicia including a potential recipient of an instant message, and a plurality of attributes representing an area of expertise for the potential recipient. A method for displaying the user interface and the indicia is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, LP
    Inventor: Kevin Darby
  • Publication number: 20090041123
    Abstract: A video coding system that codes video objects as scalable video object layers. Data of each video object may be segregated into one or more layers. A base layer contains sufficient information to decode a basic representation of the video object. Enhancement layers contain supplementary data regarding the video object that, if decoded, enhance the basic representation obtained from the base layer. The present invention thus provides a coding scheme suitable for use with decoders of varying processing power. A simple decoder may decode only the base layer of video objects to obtain the basic representation. However, more powerful decoders may decode the base layer data of video objects and additional enhancement layer data to obtain improved decoded output. The coding scheme supports enhancement of both the spatial resolution and the temporal resolution of video objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT & T Intellectual Property II, L.P. formerly known as AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Barin Geoffry Haskell, Atul Puri, Robert Lewis Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20090042548
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for obtaining information about a product or service offering having an associated receiver responsive to an information request or query. The method comprise providing a portable subscriber device linked with a communication network, presenting at least one selectable query for information to a subscriber via the subscriber device, selecting the at least one query for information, providing a desired privacy status of the subscriber utilizing the subscriber device, transmitting the query and the privacy status and, at the associated receiver, processing the privacy status and responding to the query by providing the requested information to the subscriber. A corresponding apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T Mobility ll LLC
    Inventor: Robert Engelhart
  • Patent number: 7490014
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a method, comprising: in a sensor node network comprising a plurality of sensor nodes, each sensor node from the plurality of sensor nodes having location coordinates that are initially unknown, each sensor node from the plurality of sensor nodes having neighbors, each sensor node from the plurality of sensor nodes capable of determining distances only to that sensor node's neighbors: for each sensor node from the plurality of sensor nodes, communicating with that sensor node's neighbors; and based only on communications between neighbors, in a fully distributed manner, generating a sensor node network layout that indicates the location coordinates of each sensor node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property, II, L.P.
    Inventors: Yehuda Koren, Craig Gotsman
  • Patent number: 7490148
    Abstract: One preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for analyzing the completion performance of newsgroup services. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, includes a newsgroup evaluation system configured to determine a completion rate for a newsgroup server. The completion rate is saved and displayed to a user. Methods and other systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Richard J. Gerlach, Charles S. Shull, David Edward Haslam, Tim Hill
  • Publication number: 20090034695
    Abstract: One embodiment of a method for controlling disposition of a call comprises detecting an incoming call to a network station; checking for an active instant messaging session for the network station; and if the active instant messaging session exists, sending an instant message to the network station with call disposition choices with regard to the incoming call. Other methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
    Inventor: Donald Newton
  • Publication number: 20090034698
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network element operating in a communication system having a controller element to receive from an initiating party a message directed to a subscriber of the communication system, receive from the subscriber a request to present the message, identify the initiating party supplying the message, transmit the identity of the initiating party to a telephone number mapping (ENUM) system with a request for a communication ID of a presence system that monitors the initiating party, transmit to the presence system according to the communication ID a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) SUBSCRIBE message requesting presence information of the initiating party, and present the subscriber one or more options to communicate with the initiating party according to the presence information received in a SIP NOTIFY message supplied by the presence system. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, L.P.
    Inventors: ANUP D. KARNALKAR, JAMES JACKSON, JYOTINDRA N. SHAH
  • Publication number: 20090034694
    Abstract: A method and system for an automated departure strategy from an automated system includes a track engine and an error engine. The track engine allows for the tracking and storing of one or more utterances spoken by a caller in response to one or more prompts. In addition, the track engine classifies each of the utterances with a confidence level. The error engine determines when one of the utterances initiates an error condition and transfers the caller to an operator on the occurrence of the error condition. In addition to transferring the caller to the operator, the error engine plays to the operator an error utterance, causing the error condition, and a preceding utterance, preceding the error utterance. Furthermore, the error engine populates an operator screen with information provided by the caller in the utterances for utterances classified with a high level of confidence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: John M. Martin, Hisao M. Chang
  • Publication number: 20090037573
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a network is disclosed and includes receiving an enrollment message at a heartbeat manager from a heartbeat agent associated with a first application stored at a first network entity. The method also includes automatically associating a heartbeat interval with the first application based at least partially on the enrollment message. In another embodiment, a system of monitoring a network is disclosed and includes a network entity having processing logic and memory accessible to the processing logic. The memory stores an application including a heartbeat agent portion having instructions executable by the processing logic to enroll with a heartbeat management server communicating with the network entity and including a heartbeat monitor including instructions to subscribe to notifications indicating an operational status of an application residing at a second network entity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, LP
    Inventors: Chaoxin Qiu, Jeffrey Scruggs, Robert Dailey
  • Publication number: 20090033517
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer products for mosaics of live views of traffic via Internet Protocol Television. Exemplary embodiments include a network-based method for providing traffic views, the method including receiving a request to display a traffic views mosaic on a communications device, retrieving traffic views data and providing the traffic views data to the communications device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
    Inventor: David DeLorme
  • Publication number: 20090034697
    Abstract: A method of presenting instructions to a user sending an incoming communication to a service center includes presenting a menu to the user. The menu includes a plurality of procedure descriptors to the user. The user is presented, according to a selection of one of the procedure descriptors by the user, a sequence of instructions which enable completion of a procedure described by the selected procedure descriptor. The incoming communication is transferred at a position in the sequence of instructions to a representative. The incoming communication is also transferred back to the same position in the sequence of instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Philip Ted KORTUM, Robert R. BUSHEY
  • Publication number: 20090034703
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provide for processing prepaid calling time to a subscriber by determining an identity of a subscriber of prepaid calling time upon origination of a call to which a subscriber of prepaid calling time is to be a party; determining an amount of prepaid calling time available to the subscriber; allowing a call to which the subscriber is to be a party to be connected if prepaid calling time is available to the subscriber; and deducting calling time from the available prepaid calling time of the subscriber as the connected call proceeds. The method also provides for purchasing pre-paid calling time by electronically transferring funds from an account of the subscriber to an account of a pre-paid call time provider, the amount of funds transferred equal, to the dollar amount of pre-paid calling time to be credited to the subscriber; and crediting to the subscriber an amount of pre-paid calling time corresponding to the dollar amount of the transferred funds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventor: Keith Halford
  • Publication number: 20090037194
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a dispatch system having a controller element to receive from a communication device a first wireless message including a location coordinate and a request for taxicab service, and determine available taxicab services according to the location coordinate and the request. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, L.P.
    Inventor: MARK ROCHE
  • Publication number: 20090036121
    Abstract: A computer readable medium that stores a computer program for providing communications service provider information to a mobile station includes a storing code segment that stores data for communications service providers corresponding to market areas. The computer readable medium includes an identifying code segment that identifies at least one communications service provider from the data for communications service providers based on at least one of a class of service and an account of the mobile station. The computer readable medium includes a transmitting code segment that enables transmission of data indicating the identified at least one communications service provider to the mobile station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: AT&T LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Jesse Bradley Bridges, Cameron Kelly Coursey, Mark Steven Wuthnow
  • Patent number: 7486186
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method comprising sensing an intruder within a predetermined vicinity of a Free Space Optical Communication (FSOC) system; and reducing an emitted power of the FSOC system. Certain exemplary embodiments provide a system comprising a Free Space Optical Communication (FSOC) subsystem; a sensor adapted to detect an intruder within a predetermined vicinity of the FSOC subsystem; and a switch adapted to reduce an emitted power of the FSOC subsystem, said switch coupled to said sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property, II, L.P.
    Inventors: Irwin Gerszberg, Jeremiah A. Okoro
  • Patent number: 7487262
    Abstract: A method and system for routing messages through a communications network based on the content of the message. The method of the present invention comprises providing a method for retrieving information through a telecommunications network comprising receiving, in a message data structure, a request message comprising a command; sending a query message to a content provider based on the command; receiving a query response message from the content provider comprising response information; and sending a request response message based on the response information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: AT & T Mobility II, LLC
    Inventors: Donald M. Cardina, John Ervin Lewis, Kenneth Dale Heil
  • Patent number: 7487073
    Abstract: An arrangement calculates a description of potential responses of a distributed system in response to at least one input stimulus. The distributed system including nodes whose operation is described by respective node behavior descriptions. The method involves applying symbolic evaluation to plural node behavior descriptions so as to produce plural response descriptions that describe responses of nodes, and combining at least the plural response descriptions so as to arrive at the description of potential responses of the distributed system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventor: Robert J. Hall
  • Patent number: 7487224
    Abstract: The present invention utilizes central offices, located on the edge of a network to route requests along the edge of the network. Once an edge client receives a request for information, the edge client makes a determination as to whether the edge client can provide the information requested. If the edge client cannot provide the information requested, then the edge client determines whether a routing instruction applies which specifies a second edge client. If the routing instruction applies, then the request is routed to the second edge client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intelletual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Barrett Kreiner, Jai Menon, Kim Littrell, Ronald Perrella
  • Patent number: 7487088
    Abstract: This invention concerns a method and system for monitoring an automated dialog system for the automatic recognition of language understanding errors based on a user's input communications. The method may include determining whether a probability of understanding the user's input communication exceeds a first threshold. If the first threshold is exceeded, further dialog is conducted with the user. Otherwise, the user may be directed to a human for assistance. The method also illustratively determines whether the probability also exceeds a second threshold, the second threshold being higher than the first. If so, then further dialog is conducted with the user using the current dialog strategy. However, if the probability falls between a first threshold and a second threshold, the dialog strategy may be adapted in order to improve the chances of conducting a successful dialog with the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Allen Louis Gorin, Irene Langkilde Geary, Marilyn Ann Walker, Jeremy H. Wright