Patents Examined by Dinh P Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9622043
    Abstract: For location-based communication with mobile devices, a condition is received, at a device associated with a caller, where the condition has to be satisfied by a callee at a past location, the past location being a place where different callees with different mobile devices are present at different times. At the device associated with the caller, an instruction is received for making a telecommunication call to a mobile device of a potential callee in a set of potential callees, where each mobile device associated with each potential callee in set of potential callees was present at the past location at a past time, and where each potential callee in the set of potential callees satisfies the condition at the past location. Using a processor and a memory in the device associated with the caller, the telecommunication call is initiated to mobile devices associated with a subset of potential callees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kanak B. Agarwal, Patrick J. Bohrer, Ahmed Gheith, Michael D. Kistler, Ramakrishnan Rajamony, Brian L. White Eagle, James Xenidis
  • Patent number: 9615216
    Abstract: For location-based communication with mobile devices, a condition is received at a device associated with a caller. The condition has to be satisfied by a callee at a future time and at a location, the location being a place where different callees with different mobile devices are present at different times. An instruction is received at the device for making a telecommunication call to the location where the callee is present with a mobile device and satisfies the condition at the future time. A set of potential callees is identified. Each mobile device associated with each callee in set of potential callees is present at the location at the future time, and each potential callee in the set of potential callees satisfies the condition. The telecommunication call is initiated to mobile devices associated with a subset of potential callees, the subset of potential callees including the callee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kanak B. Agarwal, Patrick J. Bohrer, Ahmed Gheith, Michael D. Kistler, Ramakrishnan Rajamony, Brian L. White Eagle, James Xenidis
  • Patent number: 9603002
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for switching a subscription of a user from a first MNO (1) to a second MNO (2), characterized in that it comprises requesting to a remoter server switching from the first MNO to the second MNO and temporary storing data updates related to the second MNO in a dedicated file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: GEMALTO SA
    Inventors: Kenji Nishi, Yannick Burianne
  • Patent number: 9603063
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a communications method, device, and system. The method includes: monitoring whether a terminal on a macro network has a service requirement on a micro network, where the micro network is in the coverage area of the macro network, and all common physical channels or some common physical channels except a pilot channel on the micro network are in a disabled state; and if the terminal has a service requirement on the micro network, sending a network handover instruction that includes configuration information of the micro network to the terminal, where the network handover instruction is used to instruct the terminal to hand over from the macro network to the micro network. In the embodiments of the present invention, power consumption of a capacity station is reduced, and unnecessary power waste is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tingting Geng, Wei Zhang, Shunqing Zhang
  • Patent number: 9603010
    Abstract: A mobile communications device, method, and computer program product for providing security on a mobile communications device are described. In accordance with one example embodiment, the mobile communications device comprises: a processor; a communications subsystem connected to the processor operable to exchange signals with a wireless network and with the processor; a storage element connected to the processor and having a plurality of application modules and data stored thereon, the data comprising at least user application data associated with the application modules and service data including data for establishing communications with the wireless network; and a security module operable to determine if a battery level falls below a predetermined threshold and perform a security action comprising erasing or encrypting at least some of the data on the storage element if the battery power falls below the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, Neil Patrick Adams, Herbert Anthony Little, Steven Henry Fyke
  • Patent number: 9595258
    Abstract: Methods employ sensors in portable devices (e.g., smartphones) both to sense content information (e.g., audio and imagery) and context information. Device processing is desirably dependent on both. For example, some embodiments activate certain processor intensive operations (e.g., content recognition) based on classification of sensed content and context. The context can control the location where information produced from such operations is stored, or control an alert signal indicating, e.g., that sensed speech is being transcribed. Some arrangements post sensor data collected by one device to a cloud repository, for access and processing by other devices. Multiple devices can collaborate in collecting and processing data, to exploit advantages each may have (e.g., in location, processing ability, social network resources, etc.). A great many other features and arrangements are also detailed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
    Inventors: Tony F. Rodriguez, Yang Bai
  • Patent number: 9591466
    Abstract: A portable communication device comprises a radio frequency signal transceiver configured to receive an instruction signal; and control electronics configured to detect that the instruction signal has been received; and cause the portable communication device to transmit a beacon signal responsive to the instruction signal being detected by the control electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: John Barry Fenn, Nicholas Patrick Alfano, Gordon Peter Young
  • Patent number: 9588609
    Abstract: A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal are provided. The method includes placing the mobile terminal in lock mode; if a multi-touch signal including first and second touch signals is detected from a display module, releasing the mobile terminal from the lock mode, the first and second touch signals being touch signals detected from first and second areas, respectively, on the display module; and entering an operating mode which is set to enter upon the touching of the second area. Therefore, it is possible to unlock the mobile terminal and then readily enter a predefined operating mode in response to a multi-touch input detected from certain areas on the display module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaewon Han, Nilton Trevizan, Minkyu Ha, Kyungwook Hu, Wontaek Oh
  • Patent number: 9584978
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are set forth herein for updating a GPS sampling rate used by a terminal device. The method includes determining a current speed of the terminal device and based on the speed of the terminal device, updating a current GPS sampling rate used by the terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Inventors: Haocheng Wu, Hui Wang
  • Patent number: 9578175
    Abstract: A communication device is provided for enabling a user to establish an automated call back from a communication system, such as a call center, for example. A software device application enables the communication device to communicate with the call center through the exchange of data. The communication device includes a display screen for displaying controls for allowing the user to interact with the communication system. The controls allow the user to request a list of providers from which to select a provider or company to contact. The communication device further provides controls for allowing the user to select a queue to join from a list of queues associated with the selected provider. An embodiment may also communicate contextual data between a communication device and a communication system, including information associated with the user of the communication device and information used to assist, instruct, or solve a user's problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Virtual Hold Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Mark J. Williams, Eric I. Camulli, Larry Miner, Rob Brazier
  • Patent number: 9571297
    Abstract: A functional device is disclosed that can collect and process data/information/parameter values from one or more sensors and compares the same with one or more predefined/threshold value to suggest one or more actions and/or generate alerts/messages/suggestions to be performed by one or a combination of remote system, wearer, home automation network, healthcare provider, doctor, caretaker, among other stakeholders. Communication between the functional device, home automation server and a computational server that stores the data is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Inventor: Rajendra Padma Sadhu
  • Patent number: 9571972
    Abstract: A method for providing improved coverage of data acquisition in a crowd sourced data acquisition environment including determining respective locations of mobile devices within an area wherein data acquisition is desired; requesting transmission of desired data captured by sensors in the mobile devices within the area; comparing locations of mobile devices currently transmitting desired data to a desired coverage map of mobile device location to produce a map showing missing coverage; prioritizing acquisition of mobile devices in locations of missing coverage; and aggregating the transmitted desired data and providing the aggregated data to an entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David B. Lection, Mark B. Stevens, John D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9571971
    Abstract: A system or computer usable program product for providing improved coverage of data acquisition in a crowd sourced data acquisition environment including determining respective locations of mobile devices within an area wherein data acquisition is desired; requesting transmission of desired data captured by sensors in the mobile devices within the area; comparing locations of mobile devices currently transmitting desired data to a desired coverage map of mobile device location to produce a map showing missing coverage; prioritizing acquisition of mobile devices in locations of missing coverage; and aggregating the transmitted desired data and providing the aggregated data to an entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David B. Lection, Mark B. Stevens, John D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9565281
    Abstract: Disclosed are a waterproof packing for a mobile terminal and the mobile terminal having the same. According to an embodiment of the present inventive concept, the mobile terminal includes: a terminal main body which includes a plurality of internal components such as a terminal; a terminal rear cover module which is detachably coupled to a rear of the terminal main body and which forms the rear of the terminal main body; and a waterproof packing for the mobile terminal, which is arranged in between the terminal main body and the terminal rear cover module and includes at least one first waterproof wing to prevent water from infiltrating into the terminal main body through a gap between the terminal main body and the terminal rear cover module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: BLUEBIRD INC.
    Inventors: Jang Won Lee, Young Min Kim
  • Patent number: 9554231
    Abstract: A mobile device sends a request for a unique wireless network session identifier and receives, based on the request, the unique wireless network session identifier. The mobile device determines whether the unique wireless network session identifier includes a femtocell identifier. The mobile device applies one set of configuration settings when the unique wireless network session identifier includes the femtocell identifier, and applies a different set of configuration settings when the unique wireless network session identifier does not include the femtocell identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc., Cellco Partnership
    Inventors: John F. Macias, David Chiang, Mingxing Li, James F. Mathison, Said Hanbaly
  • Patent number: 9549081
    Abstract: System and method for implementing a predictive disconnect in an Offline Charging System of a telecommunications network are provided. In one aspect, an apparatus for implementing a charging function in the OFCS is configured to determine that a resource allocated to the OFCS for processing messages received from one or more Charging Trigger Functions (CTFs) connected to the OFCS is experiencing or about to experience a bottleneck condition. The apparatus is configured to heuristically determine an expected duration of time for the resource to return to a normal condition, and is further configured to initiate a disconnection between the OFCS and one or more of the CTFs connected to the OFCS for at least the determined expected period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignees: Alcatel Lucent, Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventors: Ranjan Sharma, Maryse Gardella
  • Patent number: 9544424
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system to provide trust during an audio call between a first and second party includes a communication interface to receive a voice certificate including a voice pattern, a first certificate ID and a first digital signature, an attribute certificate including an attribute, a second certificate ID and a second digital signature, and processing hardware to compare a voice sample of the second party to the voice pattern, verify the voice certificate, verify the attribute certificate, verify at least one attribute signing organization certificate, compare the first certificate ID to the second certificate ID, and provide an indication that the second party in the audio call has the attribute based on a positive result to the above processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Harel Cain, Yaron Sella, Michal Devir, David Wende
  • Patent number: 9544406
    Abstract: In some aspects, a portable electronic device having a slidable upper housing and rear housing movable between an open position and a closed position, and a gain adjustment module. The gain adjustment module reduces the RF energy produced by the portable electronic device when the device is in the open position to ensure that the portable electronic device complies with Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) standards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Roberto Gautier, Jay Robert Spoto, Randall Scott Fraser
  • Patent number: 9474012
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for reducing a long list of access points (APs) to a short list of access points are presented. Advantageously, a mobile device only need to search for access points on the short list thereby more quickly discovering access points, saving battery power, determining a position fix based on the discovered access points, and reducing a time to fix. Embodiments enable a mobile device to determine which access points should be detectable at a new location of the mobile device. Various embodiments comprise: (1) a linked database; (2) a grouped database; (3) an associated database; and (4) database feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen William Edge, Andreas Klaus Wachter
  • Patent number: 9467917
    Abstract: A method at a user equipment for establishing a circuit switched call, the user equipment being in a Cell Forward Access CHannel (CELL_FACH) state, a Cell Paging CHannel (CELL_PCH) state or a UTRAN Registration Area Paging CHannel (URA_PCH) state, the method receiving an indication that a circuit switched call is pending; sending to a network element a message to facilitate the user equipment to transition to a Cell Dedicated CHannel (CELL_DCH) state, the message being one of a cell update message having a traffic volume indicator information element indicating that pending uplink data exceeds a threshold or an RRCConnectionRequest message; and establishing the circuit switched call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Andrew John Farnsworth, Vaibhav Singh, Muhammad Khaledul Islam, Ozgur Ekici