Patents Assigned to Sprint Communications Company L.P.
  • Patent number: 9397935
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for modifying signals are provided. Embodiments include staged low noise amplifiers (LNA's) in order to customize signal modification. Signals may be modified at various fixed gains by different LNA's within a device. Additionally, signals may be attenuated or receive no modification at all in order to ensure signals are within a preferred signal range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Eugene S. Mitchell, Jr., Nicholas David Caola Kullman, Sreekar Marupaduga, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9398514
    Abstract: The invention is directed to methods and systems for generating frequency reference signals from a radio signal received from a large-coverage access component, such as a base station. The radio signal is received and processed by an oscillator to filter out abnormalities. Consequently, a frequency reference signal is generated that is encapsulated into packets and delivered to one or more small-coverage access components using the Precision Timing Protocol or some other protocol that is useable by the small-coverage access components. The small-coverage access components comprise one or more of a femtocell or a picocell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Steven Kenneth Guthrie, Timothy Hugh Pearson, John Austin Holmes, David Richard Polson
  • Patent number: 9398462
    Abstract: A mobile communication device. The device comprises a cellular radio transceiver, a processor, a memory, and a custom application launcher stored in the memory. When executed by the processor, the custom application launcher periodically sends a message to an application server, wherein the message informs the application server that the custom application launcher is installed on the mobile communication device and, responsive to initiation of a process of removing the custom application launcher, sends a removal message to the application server, wherein the removal message informs the application server that the custom application launcher is being removed from the mobile communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Jason R. Delker, Drew T. Dennis, Cynthia Fung, M. Jeffrey Stone, Shannon L. Stone
  • Patent number: 9396424
    Abstract: A mobile communication device. The mobile communication device comprises a motherboard comprising a communication bus, a cellular radio frequency transceiver connected to the communication bus, a plurality of antennas, at least one of the antennas communicatively coupled to the cellular radio frequency transceiver, and a processor connected to the communication bus. The mobile communication device further comprises a radio frequency identity (RFID) chip connected to the communication bus, wherein the RFID chip comprises a memory, provides wireless read access to the memory, and provides write access to the memory to the communication bus. The mobile communication device further comprises an antenna switch to selectably couple at least one of the antennas to the RFID chip and an application that selects the antenna switch to couple one of the antennas to the RFID chip based on a state of the mobile communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Clinton H. Loman, Douglas A. Olding, Lyle W. Paczkowski, Kenneth R. Steele
  • Patent number: 9392442
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and software for initiating communication for a secured application. In one example, a method for initiating communication on a wireless communication device includes identifying a communication request for a secured application and selecting one or more radio transceivers for the communication request. The method further provides initializing the one or more radio transceivers to search for availability data based on an open operating system command and identifying an appropriate transceiver based on the availability data. The method further includes initializing a communication for the secured application using the appropriate transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Lyle Walter Paczkowski, David A. Hufker, Michael David Svoren, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9392574
    Abstract: A method of sending proactive notification of potential wireless communications service impacts. The method comprises when a top cell tower on a user equipment's notification cell tower list is forecast to have potential service impact, wherein a top cell tower is the cell tower with the most traffic volume usage by a user equipment on a notification cell tower list of the user equipment, sending a notification to the user equipment a predefined period of time before the potential service impact is forecast to occur, wherein the format of the notification is selected based on at least one of the type of a subscriber of the user equipment, a wireless communications service plan type, a call pattern, an interaction-with-customer-service pattern, and a churn risk level, wherein a churn risk level corresponds to a possibility of a subscriber transferring to another mobile communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: John R. Glenn, William T. Hagstrum, Nicole E. Wunder
  • Patent number: 9392395
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to methods and systems for activating and/or customizing a mobile device. A mobile device may comprise a brand configuration system operable to monitor activity on the device, analyze the monitored activity, build a queue of probable brand-specific data based on the analysis, and download the queued data from a brand configuration server. In some embodiments, a brand configuration process may be completed in the background on a device while an activation process is being completed in the foreground of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Dhananjay Indurkar
  • Patent number: 9392446
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for operating environmental sensor systems are provided herein. In one example, a method is provided that includes monitoring environmental conditions to detect a trigger condition and transferring an access request for delivery to a data system responsive to the trigger condition. The method also includes receiving a security challenge transferred by the data system, and in response, transferring a security answer for delivery to the data system that includes a hash result generated using one of the security keys, and receiving a security grant transferred by the data system indicating one of the hash results. The method also includes selecting an environmental sensor function based on an association with one of the security keys used to generate the hash result indicated in the security grant, performing the environmental sensor function to obtain sensor data, and transferring the sensor data for delivery to the data system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Lyle Walter Paczkowski, Geoffrey S. Martin, Warren B. Cope
  • Patent number: 9392584
    Abstract: In a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system, a User Equipment (UE) receives Mobility Management Entity (MME) selection data. The UE processes the MME selection data to select one of multiple MMEs. The UE wirelessly transfers an LTE attachment request to an LTE access point. The LTE attachment request indicates the selected MME. The UE wirelessly receives an attachment acceptance from the selected MME through the LTE access point in response to selecting and indicating the MME in the LTE attachment request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Maneesh Gauba, Stephen R. Bales, Dwight Edward Patton
  • Patent number: 9392402
    Abstract: A method, system, and medium are provided for determining the geographic location associated with events depicted in media. The geographic locations can be provided by creators of the media, or by users who view the media. The geographic locations can then be stored in a database on a server. A determination can be made as to whether the geographic locations are within a predefined distance of the geographic location of a wireless device. A set of events located within the predefined distance can be presented to a user of the wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Michael P. McMullen, Rodney D. Nelson, John R. Schuler
  • Patent number: 9392468
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for providing adaptive beamforming techniques in LTE networks are provided. In embodiments, the method includes identifying user devices associated with device to device (D2D) groups in a sector. Unused static uplink beams provided by the sector are determined. In embodiments, the unused static uplink beams are allocated to user devices associated with the D2D groups. The unused static uplink beams are reallocated for other activities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Sreekar Marupaduga, Andrew Mark Wurtenberger, Patrick Jacob Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9392114
    Abstract: A computer system for evaluating and coaching call center employee performance, comprising at least one processor, a non-transitory memory, and an application stored in the memory. When executed, the application: collects call reports about calls to telephone systems at different call centers; collects information about the calls from a call center computer system, where the information identifies call notes entered by agents, computer screens viewed by agents while handling a call, and a call reason determined by the call center computer system; determines a call handling performance for each call reason handled by an agent, for each agent; determines call handling performance statistics for each call reason, based on the call handling performances of all the agents; and provides a user interface to compare call handling performance by call reason among agents' supervisors, based on the call handling performance of each supervisor's agents relative to the call handling performance statistics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: James J. Bobowski
  • Patent number: 9391866
    Abstract: A method of maintaining server performance comprises receiving, at an analysis server, server performance metrics from at least one monitored server, wherein server performance metrics comprise information about processor usage, memory usage, and network activity and comparing the received metrics with a baseline of values that was established for the server performance metrics based on a variance analysis of historical values. The method further comprises determining that the value of at least one server performance metric of the monitored server is consistently above an upper limit of a range of acceptable deviation from the baseline, analyzing historical occurrences of similar departures of server performance metrics from the range of acceptable deviation, and generating an alert indicating that a risk pattern has been identified and suggesting shutting down a locked process on the monitored server in order to return the server performance metrics to values within the range of acceptable deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communication Company L.P.
    Inventors: Justin A. Martin, Margaret M. McMahon, Brian J. Washburn
  • Patent number: 9384495
    Abstract: Portable mobile devices may have ambient light sensors (ALS) capable of modulating the level of backlight on the display of the portable electronic device in various environmental situations. The ALS is capable of receiving an infrared signal or a visible light signal that may then be read to determine an end and a beginning, and parsed to extract the code. The information sent from the infrared or visible light source to the portable electronic device may be handled by the device in various ways including direct processing and display to present the user of the portable electronic device with a coupon, offer, or other benefit. This may occur in several ways including displaying a coupon or an offer, launching a URL or URI, or launching an application on the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Warren B. Cope, Manoj Monga, Lyle W. Paczkowski
  • Patent number: 9384498
    Abstract: A method of transmitting digital content via a communication network. The method comprises receiving by a computer a request for a uniform resource identifier (URI), determining by a computer based on the request for the uniform resource identifier a communication service provider associated with a communication device, and when the communication service provider is affiliated with a digital content custom delivery offer building system, transmitting by a computer an image file to be presented by the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Lyle T. Bertz, Stephen J. Bye, Lyle W. Paczkowski, Daniel J. Sershen
  • Patent number: 9385974
    Abstract: A communication system transfers user data messages to users. The system stores the user data messages in association with message stream identifiers and message delivery metrics. The system processes the message delivery metrics to enter the user data messages into a plurality of delivery queues associated with multiple message transmission systems. The system receives a data request indicating a message stream identifier and a message transmission system, and in response, identifies a message set and associated delivery metrics. The system receives a data instruction indicating new delivery metrics, and in response, re-enters the message set into the delivery queue. The communication system transfers the user data messages based on their associated delivery queues over data networks for receipt by the users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Umesh Chandra Upadhyay, Robin Dale Katzer, Geoff A. Holmes, Robert H. Burcham
  • Patent number: 9386463
    Abstract: A method of managing the risk of a monitored application installed on a mobile communication device comprises determining a risk profile of the monitored application based on at least one of: comparison of performance of the mobile communication device before and after installation of the monitored application on the mobile communication device, comparison of permission requests of the monitored application versus a type of the monitored application, community feedback of the monitored application, an amount of time elapsed since release of the monitored application, and a risk profile of a publisher of the monitored application; and performing a first action if the risk profile of the monitored application meets or exceeds a predefined first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Ronald Contino, Jason Salge, M. Jeffrey Stone, Robert L. Waldrop
  • Patent number: 9386395
    Abstract: A processor-implemented method is provided. The method comprises determining that a portable electronic device is within a coverage area of a local wireless communication network. The method also comprises automatically sending information about accessing the local wireless communication network to a mobile wireless communication network. The method also comprises receiving a request to access the local wireless communication network from the portable electronic device, wherein the request comprises at least some of the information about accessing the local wireless communication network. The method also comprises transmitting an interface pack to the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Jason R. Delker, Lars J. Hacking, Sei Y. Ng, Jeffrey M. Stone, Peter S. Syromiatnikov
  • Patent number: 9386076
    Abstract: A delivery system, media, and method for communicating content to devices are provided. The delivery system includes a services aggregator and content aggregator for processing requests from the devices. The services aggregator processes the request to identify credentials for the devices that generate the request and to identify providers of content specified in the request. The content aggregator receives the content from the identified providers and formats the content based on limits imposed by the device. Because the devices are configured to allow the services aggregator and content aggregator to perform computational-intensive tasks associated with requesting and transmitting the content, the complexity and cost of the devices are minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Warren B. Cope, Von K. McConnell, Douglas A. Olding, Arun Santharam
  • Patent number: 9386001
    Abstract: A first Network Function Virtualization (NFV) computer system generates Hardware Root-of-Trust (HRoT) challenge data and transfers the HRoT challenge data in first Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) signaling to a second NFV computer system. The second NFV computer system identifies a physically-embedded HRoT code and generates an HRoT result based on the challenge data and code. The second NFV computer system transfers second BGP signaling having the HRoT result to the first NFV computer system. The first NFV computer system compares the HRoT result from the second BGP signaling to target HRoT data. The first NFV computer system executes a BGP process based on the second BGP signaling if the HRoT result corresponds to the target HRoT data. In some examples, the NFV computer systems also exchange the BGP signaling to verify NFV time slices for BGP Virtual Machines (VMs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Ronald R. Marquardt, Lyle Walter Paczkowski, Arun Rajagopal