Patents Assigned to Swisscom AG
  • Patent number: 9384605
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for authentication of a user, such as using a user-specific card, which may provide data for implementing a plurality of security steps in an electronic device (e.g., using a particular application running therein), performed individually or in combination, such as depending on a desired security level and/or the application. The user-specific card may store a user identifier, an operator identifier, and a plurality of application identifiers, and other related data. The user identifier may be read from the user-specific card and may be authenticated. The operator identifier may be read from the user-specific card and may then be forwarded to a server of an operator, which may then verify the operator identifier. Further, additional information for the user may be requested from the server. An application identifier may be read from the user-specific card and may be verified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: SWISSCOM AG
    Inventor: Hugo Straumann
  • Patent number: 9350860
    Abstract: Systems and method are provided for rendering different speech-based services to a plurality of users. A service-providing system may be accessed via a plurality of connectivity ports. Each of the connectivity ports may be associated with at least one of a plurality of different speech-related services. The connectivity ports may be associated with the different speech-related services may be performed before receiving user service requests. The service-providing system may comprise a plurality of processing components, each of which may be configurable to provide one or more of a plurality of different speech-related services. The service-providing system may further comprise a connection component, which may be operable to establish a connection between the respective connectivity port and a processing component having a configuration of suitable for performing a service requested through the respective connectivity port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: SWISSCOM AG
    Inventors: Roger Lagadec, Patrik Estermann, Luciano Butera
  • Patent number: 9313727
    Abstract: A method, and a system for implementing the method, for creating an optimized communications link between at least two mobile network nodes, whereby lookup tables of available network interfaces may be created and updated periodically thereof, configuration data is transmitted between the mobile network nodes via an available signaling channel, at least one signaling channel is created via one of the available network interfaces based on the configuration data in order to transmit configuration data, and at least one data channel is created via one of the available network interfaces based on the configuration data, with the data channel being changed from one available network interface to another available network interface, after determining by the use of the lookup table that quality of service of the one available network interface is insufficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: SWISSCOM AG
    Inventors: Marc Danzeisen, Michael Schaedler, Daniel Rodellar
  • Patent number: 9276961
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adapting security settings of a communication station based on security relevant events. The communication station may be associated with an identification module. A security registry in the identification module may be updated according to an identified security related event occurring in the communication station, and a security level of the communication station may be adapted and/or enforced according to the security registry (e.g., as updated according to the identified even) of the identification module. The security relevant event may be identified and stored in an event registry, in one or both of the communication station and the identification module. The communication station may comprise a workstation and a mobile terminal that includes the identification module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: SWISSCOM AG
    Inventors: Renato Cantini, Paul Aebi
  • Patent number: 9198048
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for deploying cellular communication networks. In a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of cells, with each cell comprising at least a base station and one or more antennas arranged to cover the cell, one or more non-adjacent cells may be selected use as central cells. In this regard, for each central cell, a super-cell may configured, comprising the central cell and at least a part of one or more cells adjacent to the central cell, with antennas of the super-cell comprising one or more antennas of the one or more adjacent cells. The configuring of the super-cell may comprise arranging the one or more antennas of the one or more adjacent cells to be directed towards the central cell; and configuring antennas of the super-cell such that signals from the antennas use at least one same channel resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: SWISSCOM AG
    Inventors: Thomas Zasowski, Marc Kuhn, Raphael Rolny
  • Patent number: 9167552
    Abstract: A system and a method for determining a location area of a user using a mobile communication terminal in a geographical area covered by a mobile radio network, based on location probabilities for defined sub-areas of the geographical area. The location probabilities may be determined based on, e.g., field strengths expected in the sub-areas from antennas and based on the antenna used by the mobile communication terminal. The location probabilities may indicate, for a sub-area, the probability that the mobile communication terminal is located in the respective sub-area. At least one ellipse defining the location area may be determined, such as based on the location probabilities. The location probabilities may enable determining elliptical location areas of mobile users much smaller than the area each antenna does cover physically, but without the need for measuring at the mobile communication terminal signal properties such as signal strength or observed time differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: SWISSCOM AG
    Inventors: Ernst Versteeg, Eric Taillard, Patrick Bailly, Maxence Laurent
  • Patent number: 9152621
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for obtaining and using status information associated persons and/or entities. A name of a person or an entity may be detected in a frame (e.g., from a screen of a device); and status information associated with the detected name may be determined, based on information associated with the detected name in one or more applications and/or one or more databases. Each of applications or databases may operate on or be accessible using the device from which the frame originates. The status information may be displayed on the screen of the device, such as to enable the user to perform one or more particular actions based on the status information and/or by interacting with the displayed status information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: SWISSCOM AG
    Inventor: Tim Carr
  • Patent number: 9146297
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for determining signal source probabilities. For example, signal source probabilities for a plurality of sub-areas of a geographic area covered by a plurality of signal sources may be determined. The signal source probabilities may indicate for each of the plurality of sub-areas probable field strength of the plurality of signal sources, and the signal source probabilities may indicate the probability that a mobile device, located in a respective sub-area, is operable to detect the particular signal source for communicating. Determining signal source probabilities may comprise calculating expected field strengths in the plurality of sub-areas. Determining signal source probabilities may comprise obtaining power information indicating a detected power of respective signals received by the mobile device from multiple transmitters. A probability model, including the signal source probabilities, may be determined. The probability model may be a three dimensional model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: SWISSCOM AG
    Inventor: Ernst Versteeg
  • Patent number: 9148420
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for single sign-on process for remote-access to remote servers, using user equipment associated with a user. An intermediate device (e.g., smart-card) associated with the user equipment may be activated using local-access authentication information provided by the user. The local-access authentication data may be provided by the user in response to requests by the user equipment. Once activated, the intermediate device may support remote-access operations, by providing, in response to authentication requests received from remote servers, remote-access authentication data, which may be used in authenticating the user at the remote servers. The authentication requests may be sent by the remote server to the user equipment in response to the user requesting remote access. The remote-access authentication data may be provided without requiring user input, once the intermediate device is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: SWISSCOM AG
    Inventors: Azim Ferchichi, Eric Lauper
  • Patent number: 9113206
    Abstract: A method for data communication is provided and may include, at a communications terminal, displaying picture objects and/or video objects received from a media center via a communications network. The communications terminal may transmit direction of view information (DoV) of at least one eye of a user of the terminal with respect to the displayed objects from an eye tracker at the communications terminal. The DoV may be determined by detecting a position of a pupil based on light reflected off of the pupil. Subsequent picture objects and/or video objects may be displayed by the communications terminal based on user interests determined from the transmitted DoV information. The DoV information may be determined using: a beam splitter, a lens, and a position sensing diode which receives light from the lens which has been received from the beam splitter, wherein the position sensing diode outputs a signal to the eye tracker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Swisscom AG
    Inventors: Rudolf Ritter, Eric Lauper
  • Patent number: 9047497
    Abstract: A user may be authenticated by an application. The user may be in possession of a user-specific card, which may store a user ID (UID), an operator ID (SID), and a plurality of application IDs (AIDn), and other related data. The card may provide data for implementing a plurality of security steps, performed individually or in combination, as chosen depending on a desired security level and/or the application. In a first security step, the application may read from the card the user ID (UID) from the card. In a second security step, the application may read out the operator ID (SID) and forward it to a server of an operator, which may then verify the operator ID (SID). In a third security step, the application may read out and verify its corresponding application ID (AIDn). The application may request additional information for the user from the server, using the user ID (UID).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: SWISSCOM AG
    Inventor: Hugo Straumann
  • Patent number: 9049269
    Abstract: A method for data communication is provided and may include storing multimedia data in a first database, the multimedia data being associated with enhanced metadata stored in the first database. The enhanced metadata may be created based on at least a user profile stored at a central management unit. Multimedia data may be selected from the first database based on at least the enhanced metadata, and the selected multimedia data may be modified to produce user-specific multimedia data. The user-specific multimedia data may be stored in a second database and may be communicated from the second database to a user terminal. An alarm to a user interface of the user terminal may be generated, if in producing the user-specific multimedia data from the profiled multimedia data, it was not possible to generate the user-specific multimedia data in conformance with the user specific hardware or network characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Swisscom AG
    Inventors: Daniel Ledermann, Souheil Ben Yacoub, Beat Herrmann, Denis Schlauss
  • Patent number: 9032080
    Abstract: A central terminal may receive from a user a first message, which may be transmitted from a communication terminal, identifying particular media content on a particular content server, and in response the central terminal may transmit a second message to a particular application server if the central terminal determines that the first message is associated with the application server. The application server may generate and transmit to the communication terminal accessing information that may be used by the user to retrieve, via the communication terminal, the media content from the content server. Submitting content requests in this manner may enable routing content requests through a particular system, such as IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), thereby making use of filtering features of the particular system for user authentication and access control, and obviating need for separate proprietary access control mechanisms for the content server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Swisscom AG
    Inventor: Christophe Gourraud
  • Patent number: 8995769
    Abstract: A method of obtaining contact information for a person or an entity is disclosed. The method comprises detecting a name of the person or the entity in a frame from a screen of a device; determining a presence status for the detected name based on one or more connectivity status for the detected name in one or more communication applications and/or one or more databases, where the one or more communication applications operate on the device from which the frame originates and where the one or more databases are accessible on the device; displaying the presence status on the screen of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Swisscom AG
    Inventor: Tim Carr
  • Patent number: 8983430
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for location-dependent billing for services that may be available to mobile terminals. A mobile terminal may forwarded to a central unit of a mobile communication network, in which the mobile terminal is logged, a billing rate code that may be obtained from an external location tag. The central unit may select, based on the billing rate code at the external location tag, a billing rate for billing for service(s) available to the user. The mobile terminal may access the external location tag via a local communication connection, which may be set up between the mobile terminal and external location tag, such as using a corresponding wireless interface therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Swisscom AG
    Inventor: Paul Aebi
  • Patent number: 8971643
    Abstract: A method and system are described for preparing a batch of data sets for a batch processing using a predetermined correlation encoding operation. The batch of data sets may be analyzed to determine a plurality of correlation parameters representing degrees of correlation between member data sets of said batch of data sets. The correlation parameters may be used to generate an optimized correlation dependency graph of the member sets. The optimized correlation dependency graph may be used for performing the predetermined correlation encoding operation. By optimizing the correlation dependencies between data sets for subsequent processing, e.g. data compression, of the data sets, the advantages of correlation encoding may be used, even for data sets which appear a priori to be unordered and only weakly correlated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Swisscom AG
    Inventors: Urs-Viktor Marti, Denis Schlauss, Lukas Hohl, Beat Herrmann
  • Patent number: 8929818
    Abstract: A user-controlled method for modifying the radiation of a wireless device (1) in one or more volumes used for in-house communications, comprising user-selecting this one or more volumes (10, 10?, 10?, 10??, 10IV) while holding the orientation of this wireless device (1) modifying the intensity of this radiation in one or more directions so as to control the radiation in this user-selected one or more volumes (10, 10?, 10?, 10??, 10IV). The invention allows the user to define volumes or regions where radiation should be modified, e.g. reduced, and one or more temporal intervals in which this radiation should be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Swisscom AG
    Inventors: Andreas Jarosch, Carolin Latze, Thomas Zasowski
  • Patent number: 8912880
    Abstract: In order to check the authorization of passengers, the following steps are performed: storing of authorization data, for example of tickets, in an electronic storage area of a portable personal identification module (40) of the user, for example in a chip-card, storing of identification data that are specific to the user's outer appearance in an electronic storage area of the personal identification module (40), contactless transmission of said identification and authorization data in a portable authorization-checking device (90), visual reproduction of said identification and authorization data with a VRD (Virtual Retina Display).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Swisscom AG
    Inventor: Rudolf Ritter
  • Publication number: 20140335840
    Abstract: Methods and systems for call-forward initiated by movement may comprise receiving a call in a first communication device, sensing a motion of the first communication device, and causing the forwarding of the received call to a second communication device based on the sensed motion of the first communication device. The second communication device may be selected from one or more detected communication devices based on the sensed motion. The second communication device may be selected based on a direction of the sensed motion of the first communication device. The call may be established over a first communication network between a server and the first communication device, and the call may be forwarded to the second communication device by switching the call in the server to the second communication device over a second communication network. The call may be forwarded to the second communication device over the local connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Swisscom AG
    Inventors: Tim Carr, Frank Fitzlaff
  • Publication number: 20140323069
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for enabling a plurality of media feeds, such as internet radio stations, to be played through a standard media player, such as a radio receiving device, using the tuning or input selection controls of the media player to control the selection of which media feed to play. Identification signatures are added to channels and transmitted to the media player by transmitter. A controller captures the feedback of the media player and, if it detects one of the signature signals in the feedback, instructs the media feed selector to select a media feed which corresponds to the detected identification signature. The selected audio feed may then be transmitted to the media player on the corresponding channel for playback.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Swisscom AG
    Inventor: Urs-Viktor Marti