Patents Examined by Ovidio Escalante
  • Patent number: 6985561
    Abstract: A system and method for providing customized announcements to callers based on the called party telephone number and the calling party telephone number. The system comprises a server system and a messaging system. The server system detects that a customized announcement is to be delivered and the messaging system delivers the announcement to the caller. The customized announcements may be provided in conjunction with voicemail systems or other services for processing calls when a called party is not available. In a preferred embodiment the customized announcements are provided via a service node in an advanced intelligent network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventors: Lanny Gilbert, Raymond J. Smets
  • Patent number: 6980637
    Abstract: A system for service control and operations for a telecommunications network. In particular, an architecture and method for a service control and operations element system. The system communicates with a plurality of interconnected telecommunications network elements via a switching and signaling subsystem. The system provides and controls the various functions of the telecommunications network, such as call processing and routing, automatic fault detection and correction, providing services to customers in an interactive manner, fraud detection and control, identification of patterns of abuse of the network, collecting data regarding call activity at each network element, and producing a record of each call placed within the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventor: Gurcharan S. Bhusri
  • Patent number: 6977992
    Abstract: A method and system for accomplishing real-time queries in conjunction with interactive, real-time, voice transmission of information to a user is disclosed. A voice-based communication between a user and a first system is established and a report is transmitted to the user. The report might comprise information and at least one request for user input based on said information. In response to the report, the user can request that additional queries be run against database or other data repository. The requested is drawn from the database automatically, in real-time by connecting to the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: MicroStrategy, Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Zirngibl, Anurag Patnaik, Bodo Maass, Christopher S. Leon
  • Patent number: 6970548
    Abstract: A communication assistance system (2) is provided for accessing information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers (6). This system is comprised of a telephone switch (12) for receiving calls from a plurality of requesters (4), a call center (16) for routing each of said received calls to an operator terminal (20), and a first database (18) configured to store said information corresponding to each of said subscribers (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: InfoNXX, Inc
    Inventors: Robert Pines, Evan Marwell, John Blakeney, Christine Baumeister
  • Patent number: 6956939
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and system are provided for message-based intelligent tandeming of an incoming call to an application node in telecommunication systems. The various embodiments utilize a new parameter, referred to as a tandem parameter, to designate whether incoming calls to a particular subscriber are to be tandemed to an application node or are to be delivered directly to the subscriber. The preferred system embodiment includes an adjunct network entity, a database, and a switching center. The adjunct network entity, such as a service circuit node or service control point, has one or more application nodes or platforms, supporting various telecommunication services such as prepaid services, calling party pays services, and one number services. The database, such as a home location register or visitor location register, stores information such as subscriber profiles, and includes storing the tandem parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Robert Boland, Ismael Lopez, Mark Alan McCormick, Diane Marie Russell
  • Patent number: 6950508
    Abstract: An away from home calling service allows users to use telephones other than their home telephone as if they were using their home telephone. When traveling away from home, subscribers access the service and are prompted to provide authentication and validation information, as well as call completion information. The away-from-home calling service obtains the services provisioned on the subscriber's home telephone line and completes the call according to the subscriber's home services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Corp.
    Inventor: Michael Griffiths
  • Patent number: 6944274
    Abstract: A dynamically configured voice mail system which allows customers to send digital information through a number of different sources into a user's voice mail system. The dynamically configured voice mail system prioritizes the customer's information and converts this information into audio messages using known technology. Subsequently, the user may retrieve prioritized audio messages and take action on said audio messages by simply pressing one or more buttons on the telephone keypad. Keypad actions may be dynamically and uniquely configured for each audio message, depending on the appropriate actions intended by the sender for the recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Inventor: William Nelson Chatfield
  • Patent number: 6944271
    Abstract: When information is delivered to a receiver mobile communication terminal, an update unit updates delivery status data stored in first storage, from “undelivered” to “delivered” in response to an update request from a relay when check permission data stored in second storage is “permitted.” When in this state a sender terminal issues a check request for the delivery status data, a sending unit sends the delivery status data of “delivered” status to the sender terminal. When the check permission data is set as “prohibited,” the delivery status data is not updated to the delivered status even if the receiver has received the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenichi Yakura, Kyoko Inoue, Hiroshi Uchida
  • Patent number: 6934367
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a system and method for providing a status certification for a voicemail message in a telecommunications network. An embodiment of this invention comprises a voicemail system, which provides a caller in a telecommunications network with the option of certifying a voicemail message when the recording of the message is complete. By certifying the voicemail message, the caller is directing the voicemail system to create a temporary voicemail box and to track any actions related to the message that message that occur within the voicemail system. As changes occur, the voicemail system creates one or more status messages in the temporary voicemail box. If the recipient replies to the messages, the voicemail system also stores the reply in the temporary voicemail box. When a caller subsequently accesses the temporary voicemail box, the caller can access the messages and can also reply to any of the messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen R. LaPierre, Joseph M. Knoerle, Vernon Meadows, David A. Scott
  • Patent number: 6928153
    Abstract: A method and system enable the automatic generation of a call processing control record. A user creates a schedule entry comprising a plurality of data entries on an electronic scheduler. The data entries are transmitted from the electronic scheduler to a call processing control record generator. The data entries are compared with stored data. In response to the data entries, the call processing control record generator generates a call processing control record which can be stored in a call processing control record database. The call processing control record can be used to forward calls or transmit an announcement to the calling party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Gavin Sueo Lew, Thomas Steven Woods
  • Patent number: 6888929
    Abstract: A system and method for generating revenue from providing pages of voice content when users input a voice code corresponding to that content. Voice codes (“VCodes”) have content stored corresponding thereto and when users view publicly displayed VCodes in proximity to an object, attraction or subject, the users may selectively access the stored content via telephone by calling a central number and entering the VCode or verbally describing the object, attraction or subject, in which case the verbal description is associated with a VCode or collection of VCodes. A fee is collected based on the information retrieved and may be distributed between participants within the voice network access provider system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: MicroStrategy, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Saylor, Stephen S. Trundle, Anurag Patnaik, David A. Garr, Benjamin M. Lindsey, Josh Mahowald, Zeynep Inanoglu
  • Patent number: 6885732
    Abstract: A method and implementing processing system are provided in which, in addition to normal playback modes, users of voice mail devices are enabled to select a vignette playback mode in which shortened versions of received messages are played back to the user. In one embodiment, a user is able to have the shortened versions or vignettes played back sequentially without interruption. In another embodiment, the user may select to pause after each playback in order to manage or otherwise dispose of the played message. In yet another embodiment, the user is enabled to select vignette mode playback default values including, but not limited to, selecting which portion of received messages are to be played back, and the duration of each vignette message playback. The user is also enabled to input new vignette playback values in place of the default values for each received message or group of received messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Craig Fellenstein, Carl Phillip Gusler, Rick Allen Hamilton, II, James Wesley Seaman
  • Patent number: 6879676
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for routing a call using the GIS technologies. The method comprises the following steps: First, a call intended for a subscriber of the optimal location call routing service is received at an SSP. Second, a query is launched to an SCP for call routing instruction. Third, the SCP consults a system that is based on the GIS technology to determine the telephone number of the optimal location. Fourth, the database provides the telephone number of the optimal location for the SCP to complete the call. Communication between the SCP and the GIS system are via an application over the TCP/IP protocol. An apparatus for implementing the method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventor: Sunil H. Contractor
  • Patent number: 6876738
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and system are provided for intelligent tandeming of an incoming call to an application node in telecommunication systems. The various embodiments utilize a new parameter, referred to as a tandem parameter, to designate whether incoming calls to a particular subscriber are to be tandemed to an application node or are to be delivered directly to the subscriber. The preferred system embodiment includes an adjunct network entity, a database, and a switching center. The adjunct network entity, such as a service circuit node or service control point, has one or more application nodes or platforms, supporting various telecommunication services such as prepaid services, calling party pays services, and one number services. The database, such as a home location register or visitor location register, stores information such as subscriber profiles, and includes storing the tandem parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Robert Boland, Mark Alan McCormick, Diane Marie Russell
  • Patent number: 6870901
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed. The method includes one or more of the following: compiling statistical models of physical layers of a communications system; creating a priori distributions of cross-talk transfer functions; storing the models and the a priori distribution in a storage medium; and using the models and the a priori distributions to diagnose probable causes of events detected in said communications system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Thorkell Gudmundsson, John Josef Hench, Amir Gholamhossein Zadeh Aghdam, Ioannis Kanellakopoulos, Gurcan Aral, Harbinder Singh, Yaolong Tan, Sunil C. Shah
  • Patent number: 6871065
    Abstract: To receive content services from a content server accepted in an Internet via a GW (GateWay) unit by a mobile user terminal connected to a mobile communication network, a plurality of GW units are located in respective predetermined areas. A part of radio communication base stations to be the mobile communication network connects an access request to the content server accepted in the Internet with a predetermined GW unit. When the mobile user terminal moves from a first area to a second area, roaming service is executed among the radio communication base stations in the mobile communication network, the mobile user terminal is connected to a second GW unit, an inquiry is issued to another GW unit, roaming service is executed among GW units, and thereby content services are continued for the moving mobile user terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6865260
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a system and method for providing a status certification for a message in a communications network. An embodiment of this invention is a voicemail system, which provides a caller in a telecommunications network with the option of certifying a voicemail message when the recording of the message is complete. By certifying the voicemail message, the caller is indicating that the voicemail system should track any actions related to the message that occur within the voicemail system so that the caller may later access the voicemail system and ascertain the status of the message. When the caller requests certification, the voicemail system provides the caller with a means to subsequently initiate a request for the status certification. As actions are taken in relation to the message, the voicemail system creates disposition identifiers and associates these identifiers with the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventors: Vernon Meadows, Joseph M. Knoerle, Stephen R. LaPierre, David A. Scott
  • Patent number: 6850757
    Abstract: A mail notification apparatus is provided that enables a user of a cellular phone to know of the arrival of an electronic mail, even when the user is away from his/her office. The mail notification apparatus stores an electronic mail address of a local mail account in association with a mail address of a cellular phone. When it is determined that the electronic mail has arrived at the electronic mail address, the mail notification apparatus notifies, by using electronic mail, the arrival of the electronic mail to the cellular phone through the Internet and a communication vender mail server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Panasonic Communications Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Watanabe, Toshio Nagatsuka
  • Patent number: 6823048
    Abstract: Calling name presentation services are provided by maintaining a local cache of requested information. When a called destination is determined to subscribe to calling name presentation, the local cache is queried to determine if the calling number is in the local cache. If the calling number is in the local cache, information corresponding to the calling number is retrieved from the local cache. If the calling number is not in the local cache, a remote database is queried for the information. The information retrieved from the remote database is stored in the local cache. In either case, the name information is sent to the call destination. A Signaling System 7 architecture may be used to implement local caching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Qwest Communications International Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Gillespie
  • Patent number: 6816589
    Abstract: In a communication system, the improvement comprising a plurality of user data files for respective users each user data file including at least one role identifier; a plurality of communication groups having respective group name identifiers for associating predetermined roles with the groups and respective group phone numbers; and a role list data file for automatically associating respective ones of the users with a predetermined one or more of the communication groups according to the at least one role identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Mitel Corporation
    Inventor: Debbie Pinard