Patents Assigned to SBC Knowledge Ventures
  • Publication number: 20080100492
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a first identification signal, where the first identification signal corresponds to a first control. The method also includes determining an active device function to which the first control corresponds, where the active device function is a first function of a first device when the first device is active and where the active device function is a second function of a second device when the second device is active. The method also includes triggering emission of an audible signal identifying the active device function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures
    Inventors: Philip Kortum, Marc Andrew Sullivan, Jeffrey Brandt
  • Publication number: 20080104630
    Abstract: A method is presented of providing voice communication, including receiving at a set-top box device a selection of a first contact, receiving data indicating that a first call has been placed to a phone associated with the first contact, and sending data to a display device coupled to the set-top box device indicating that the first call has been placed to the phone associated with first contact. The method may further include sending data identifying the first contact and the user phone to a communication server of an Internet Protocol Television system, wherein the communication server places the first call to the phone associated with first contact and routes the first call to the user phone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, LP
    Inventors: Les Bruce, Jeffrey L. Brandt, Marc A. Sullivan, Mark B. Hubscher
  • Publication number: 20080101591
    Abstract: A method for selecting a profile for a digital subscriber line is disclosed, the method including collecting code violation data for a plurality of digital subscriber lines, identifying a group of problem lines in the plurality of digital subscriber lines, modeling estimated code violations for each of a group profiles for each line in the group of problem lines and selecting one of the group of profiles. A system is disclosed for performing the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures L.P.
    Inventors: Xidong Wu, Zhi Li
  • Patent number: 7366203
    Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to a system including a passive optical network element and a first ultra wideband adapter coupled to the passive optical network element. The first ultra wideband adapter is coupled via a data communication line to a second ultra wideband adapter. The second ultra wideband adapter has a connection to an end user computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventor: David A. Deas
  • Patent number: 7366337
    Abstract: A memory stores built-in images per bill denomination for a plurality of bill denominations. The built-in images may include a corresponding image for each of four corners for each of two sides of the bill denomination. A camera captures an image of a bill. A pattern recognizer matches the image of the bill to one of the built-in images in the memory. An output device reports the denomination of the bill based on the match from the pattern recognizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventors: Philip Ted Kortum, Aaron Bangor, Marc Andrew Sullivan, Jeffrey Lewis Brandt
  • Patent number: 7362713
    Abstract: A system and method of accessing digital subscriber line data is provided. The system includes a first server having an input to receive a telephone number from a web browser interface and having an output to provide performance analysis data associated with at least one of a plurality of network elements that form a distributed and geographically diverse data communication system. The system also includes a second server including logic to convert telephone numbers to port addresses for network elements of the communication system. The system also includes a plurality of regional servers, each of the plurality of regional servers responsive to the second server and a plurality of network element management systems respectively coupled to each of the plurality of regional servers. The second server includes logic to convert telephone numbers to port addresses for network elements of the communication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures, LP.
    Inventors: Baofeng Frank Jiang, G. Keith Cambron, Jerold Daizo Osato
  • Publication number: 20080091914
    Abstract: A system and method include receiving a telephone number corresponding to a unique pair of first and second parameters in which the first parameter corresponds to a device having a plurality of ports and the second parameter corresponds to one of the ports of the device. A storage includes units respectively corresponding to different first parameters with each unit respectively having a physical location in the storage. Each unit has members respectively corresponding to different second parameters with each of the second parameters respectively corresponding to a member of each unit. The parameters are determined using the telephone number. A physical location in storage of a unit corresponding to the first parameter is determined. The member corresponding to the second parameter of the unit which corresponds to the first parameter is then identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventors: Andre Fuetsch, Baofeng Jiang, Jerold Osato, Mengfeng Tsai, Xidong Wu
  • Publication number: 20080092199
    Abstract: A method for distributing dynamic event notification data in an internet protocol television (IPTV) system including receiving at an IPTV server the dynamic event notification data indicating an occurrence of a dynamic event; identifying at the IPTV server a current IPTV viewer associated with an IPTV end user client device; retrieving at the IPTV server an event filter for the current IPTV viewer; filtering at the IPTV server the dynamic event notification data through the event filter for the current IPTV viewer; and sending from the IPTV server to an end user client device associated with the current IPTV viewer, the dynamic event notification data when the dynamic event notification data passes through the event filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures L.P.
    Inventors: Mary Catherine McCarthy, Roland Noll
  • Publication number: 20080092157
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method of restricting access to video content. In a particular embodiment, the method includes sending a request for video content to a set-top box device from a remote user device via a video distribution network. The method also includes receiving location data at the remote user device via the video distribution network, the location data indicating a location of the remote user device. The method also includes indicating at the remote user device that the video content is inaccessible, when access to the video content is restricted within a region that includes the location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, LP
    Inventors: Edward Walter, Steven Michael Wollmershauser, Erin Tania Kenyon
  • Publication number: 20080089502
    Abstract: A call processor records a message from a facility phone for a destination phone upon a first collect call from the facility phone to the destination phone being terminated when the first collect call is rejected at the destination phone. In response to the message having been recorded, the call processor completes a second collect call to the destination phone upon the second collect call being accepted at the destination phone. The call processor delivers the message to the destination phone during the second collect call, records a response to the message from the destination phone during the second collect call after the message has been delivered, and stores the response for subsequent retrieval by a facility phone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P
    Inventor: Rhonda Leonard
  • Publication number: 20080092176
    Abstract: In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for interactive content at a mediation device, the request sent from a set-top box device via a secure network. The method also includes receiving the interactive content at the mediation device from at least one content provider via an unsecured network. The method also includes removing at least one unapproved element from the interactive content. The method also includes sending the interactive content to the set-top box device via a video head-end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, LP
    Inventors: Michael Thomas Raftelis, John McClenny, John Hugh Kirby
  • Patent number: 7359494
    Abstract: A system for controlling restricted telephone calls that originate from a facility includes a facility resident telephone for calling a destination telephone number as a collect call, where the collect call is completed when accepted, a call processing platform electrically coupled to the facility resident telephone for prompting for a message to be recorded and storing the message, when the collect call is not completed, and a message delivery module for attempting to deliver the message to the destination telephone, and for prompting for a response to be recorded from the destination telephone and storing the response when the message is delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventor: Rhonda Leonard
  • Publication number: 20080084347
    Abstract: Systems, methods and devices for communicating position data are disclosed. A method includes receiving a position query at a communication device. The method also includes determining a position of the communication device in response to the position query. The method also includes transmitting data related to the position from the communication device to a remote communication device of another party to a call when the position query is received while the communication device is connected to the call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventor: Christopher Fay
  • Publication number: 20080086754
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that includes receiving a multimedia data stream comprising audio data, video data, and text data at a first electronic device of a plurality of electronic devices responsive to a network. A content structure of the multimedia data stream is automatically determined at least partially based on the text data. The portion of multimedia data stream is stored in a local media database and the associated content structure is stored in a local content index. A network index alert is generated to update a centralized content index of available media content via the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, LP
    Inventors: Yih-Farn Chen, David Crawford Gibbon, Zhu Liu, Behzad Shahraray, Bin Wei
  • Patent number: 7356475
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing access to an interactive service offering. A method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include receiving a first communication in a format that complies with a first protocol. The first communication may be associated with a desired interaction between a first device and a voice activated service (VAS) platform. The method may also include receiving a second communication in a different format that complies with a different protocol, and the second communication may also be associated with a desired interaction between a different device and the VAS platform. A system implementing the method may recognize that the VAS platform does not support the first protocol, and translate the first communication to a platform-supported format to facilitate the desired interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventors: Brian M. Novack, Hisao M. Chang
  • Patent number: 7356023
    Abstract: A system and method for facilitating packetized calls between managed networks are disclosed. In one embodiment of a system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure, a mediation server may be associated with and maintain an information store holding a first collection of connection information for a first plurality of devices associated with a first managed internet protocol network and a second collection of connection information for a second plurality of devices associated with a second managed internet protocol network. The devices may be capable of receiving voice over internet protocol calls and the connection information for a given device may include a unique address and a call receipt rule. In operation, the mediation server may receive a query seeking appropriate connection information for a called device associated with the first managed internet protocol network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventor: Robert Paul Lowmaster
  • Publication number: 20080082928
    Abstract: A method for viewing information in a communication device is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a communication element that supports Voice over IP (VoIP) communications with a communication system, a User Interface (UI) element that presents a plurality of Graphical User Interface (GUI) elements for controlling operations of the communication device, and a navigation element that performs non-linear navigation between GUI elements presented by the UI element in response to detecting one or more navigation conditions. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: SBC KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, L.P.
    Inventors: EDWARD WALTER, LARRY B. PEARSON
  • Publication number: 20080080368
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method of providing communications services. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving data related to an attainable bandwidth of a communications loop coupled to a customer premise equipment (CPE) device, wherein at least one first communications service is provided by a private access network via the CPE device. The method also includes selecting at least one additional communications service to be offered, the at least one additional communications service selected based at least partially on the attainable bandwidth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, LP
    Inventors: James Fan, Kevin Xiangkai Meng, Chou Lan Pok, Richard T. Kuo
  • Publication number: 20080080595
    Abstract: In a particular embodiment a VDSL repeater is disclosed. The VDSL repeater includes a first interface for receiving data from an IPTV network node; a second interface for sending data to an end user client device; and an amplifier in electrical communication with the first interface for amplifying data received on the first interface from the IPTV network node when a power supply voltage is present on the first interface, wherein the amplifier sends the amplified data received on the first interface to the second interface. In another aspect of a particular embodiment the VDSL repeater further includes a circuit that bypasses the amplifier when the power supply voltage is not present on the first interface. In another particular embodiment a method for amplifying a VDSL signal when a power supply voltage is present on the twisted pair using the power supply voltage is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures L.P.
    Inventor: Jin Wang
  • Publication number: 20080080537
    Abstract: A system includes a broadcast overlay network including a ring topology. The ring topology includes a first network ring and a second network ring that is coupled to the first network ring via at least one cross-connect element. The ring topology is adapted to carry broadcast traffic from a network. The system also includes a digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) having a line interface and a network interface. The network interface is in communication with the broadcast overlay network via the second network ring. The DSLAM is adapted to receive a request for a particular video channel from a customer premise via the line interface and to deliver the particular video channel from the network interface to the line interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventors: Albert Wan, Ahmad Ansari, David Hartman, Mehrad Yasrebi