Patents by Inventor Amer A. Hassan

Amer A. Hassan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10477508
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments process a message by determining location information for a device originating the message. In some aspects, a method includes obtaining location information for each of a first set of stations, receiving, from each station in the first set of stations and a second set of stations, a list identifying access points of the first and second set of stations from which signals have been received by the respective station, receiving a message originating from the originating station, the message received via a first access point (AP) included in the second set of stations, determining a location for the first access point based on the location information for the first set of stations and the received lists, determining a location of the originating station based on the determined location of the first access point, and processing the message based on the determined location of the originating station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Amer A. Hassan, Russell A. Penar, Mahendra D. Sekaran
  • Patent number: 10469260
    Abstract: The embodiments provide a cryptography key for two communicating devices that is based on information known only to the devices. Each of the communicating devices determines the information without communicating key information related to the encryption key with the other. Each device receives a setup signal sent by the other device. Each device samples the received signal, generates sampling results, creates a plurality of keys based on the sampling results, selects a key of the plurality of keys based on criteria, and utilizes the selected key. The sets of plurality of keys may be created by creating each of the keys based on a different power threshold applied to the sampling results. The sets of plurality of keys may also be created by inputting the sampling results into each of a plurality of decoders to generate a key at each decoder that comprises a key of the plurality of keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Amer Hassan
  • Publication number: 20190335040
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for routing messages based on regional events. In some aspects, an origin of a call is determined, and a datastore consulted to determine whether the origin is experiencing a regional event. If so, an identity of the caller may be ascertained. If the caller is determined to have sufficient priority, the call may be routed over a first network. Otherwise, the call may be routed over a second network, or in some aspects, placed in a hold queue until sufficient network capacity is available to service the call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Russell A. Penar, Amer A. Hassan, Ronald F. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20190334785
    Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed designate a first network for a first class of traffic and a second network for a second class of traffic. An event may be forecast that indicates utilization of the second network over a future period of time. Based on the forecast event, the designation of the second network for the second class of traffic may be overridden such that the first class of traffic is also sent over the second network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Russell A. Penar, Amer A. Hassan, Ronald F. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20190327185
    Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed provide for dynamically allocating resources based on a utilization of a computing resource, such as a network or a stable storage device. In one aspect, a system including processing circuitry configured to perform operations, the operations including determining, at a first time, a utilization spike of a computing resource based on a utilization threshold, automatically adjusting the utilization threshold based on the determination, determining, during a time window, one or more second utilization spikes of the computing resource based on the adjusted utilization threshold; and dynamically reallocating resources in response to the determined one or more second utilization spikes meeting a first criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Amer A. Hassan, Russell A. Penar, Michael T. Gilbert
  • Patent number: 10447338
    Abstract: A spreading sequence generator for a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver receives an RF signal from a second RF transceiver. The first RF transceiver measures power levels of the received RF signal at a plurality of instants to generate respective digital power level values and uses the plurality of digital power level values to create a first spreading sequence. The second RF transceiver receives an RF signal from the first RF transceiver and performs the same functions to create a second spreading sequence. Due to the reciprocal nature of the RF channel between the first and second RF transceivers, the first and second cryptographic keys match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Amer A. Hassan, Edward C. Giaimo, III, Paul Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10433148
    Abstract: An initiating device can receive an initiation of a call via a VoIP calling application. The initiating device can detect a failure of the call and confirm a proximity within a range of a proxy device to the initiating device, where the proxy device is a cellular-enabled device. Upon confirming the proximity within a range of the proxy device, the initiating device can route the call through the proxy device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Amer A. Hassan, Russell A. Penar
  • Patent number: 10433166
    Abstract: The embodiments provide a cryptography key for two communicating devices that is based on information known only to the devices. The information may only be determined by the devices. Each device determines the information without communicating key information related to the encryption key with the other. Channel characteristic reciprocity between the devices allows creation of identical keys in each device. Each device sends a signal to the other device at the same power level based on the distance between the devices. The power level may be set to result in a target receive power level at the other device. Each device samples the received signal, generates sampling results, creates a key based on the sampling results and a threshold power level, and utilizes the key. The threshold power level may be based on the target receive power level, or a median power determined from the sampling results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Amer Hassan
  • Patent number: 10419215
    Abstract: The embodiments provide cryptography keys for communicating devices that are based on information known only to the devices. Each device determines the information without communicating key information related to the key with the other. In an implementation, a first device sends a first signal to a second device, the second device loops back the first signal to the first device as a second signal, and the first device generates a first key based on error information from the second signal. Also, the second device sends a third signal to the first device, the first device loops back the third signal to the first device as a fourth signal, and the second device generates a second key based on error information from the fourth signal. The first device and second device then encrypt and decrypt communications between the first device and second device using the first key and second key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Amer Hassan
  • Patent number: 10411888
    Abstract: The embodiments provide cryptography that is performed in each of two communicating devices and is based on information known only to the devices. The information is determined in each of the devices at the time of communications. Each of the devices determines the information without communicating key information related to the encryption key with each other. Channel characteristic reciprocity between the two devices allows creation of identical keys in each device. Each of the devices sends a first setup signal to the other device, receives a second setup signal from the other device, where the second setup signal may be a looped back version of the first setup signal, samples the second setup signal, generates sampling results, creates a key based on the sampling results, and utilizes the key to exchange one or more secure data signals with the other device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Amer Hassan
  • Publication number: 20190253561
    Abstract: An initial data center can be selected to host a communication session between multiple participants. This data center can be initially selected based, at least in part, on a first set of effective distances (e.g., representing distances between the initial data center and the first group of participants modified by effective distance factors). For example, the data center closest to the centroid can be selected. The effective distance factor (or weighting) can be based on one or more of the participant's device/driver type, the participant's network type, the participant's connection type, and a participant weighting factor. Then, as the multiple participants on the conference session change or the effective distances change (e.g., based on a change in connectivity), a second data center can be selected to host the communication session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Amer Hassan, Gareth Lyndon Eadred Bridges, Bradford R. Clark, Timothy R. Allen, Russell Andrew Penar
  • Patent number: 10383006
    Abstract: Tier switching of spectrum access priority tier levels for networks in a multi-tier level spectrum access system is disclosed. The tier switching may be based on conditions in the networks to allow more efficient network/system operation. In an implementation, the switching of tier levels may be a swap of tier levels between a network/device and another network/device. In this case, the tier level of a network/device is switched or swapped with the tier level of another network/device and each network device operates at the tier level of the other network/device. In another implementation, the switching of tier levels may be a switching of tier levels used by a single network or a single device without any swap occurring with another network or device. In this case, the tier level of a network or device may be switched to another tier level for operation in the SAS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Amer A. Hassan, Paul W. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20190245899
    Abstract: One or more data centers are selected to host an online conference. The selection of the data center is based on a set of metrics that are measured from ‘synthetic’ transactions. These synthetic transactions are sent between candidate data centers and the participants in the conference call in order to measure one or more performance metrics (e.g., link quality metrics such as delay, packet loss, etc.) These measured performance metrics are used to determine a centroid that represents the geometric center or ‘center of mass,’ of the link quality between participants and data centers. This ‘link quality centroid’ is used to select a subset of data centers as candidate data centers. The candidate data center with the best average performance metric(s) is selected as the data center to host the conference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: Amer Hassan, Bradford R. Clark, Gareth Lyndon Eadred Bridges, Russell Andrew Penar
  • Publication number: 20190238438
    Abstract: An indicator for a device may provide an indication that a threshold associated with a budget for a network resource has or will be reached. When a user requests a network operation that will consume the network resource, an amount of the network resource to be consumed by the operation is predicted, if possible. If the prior use of the network resource and the amount to be used to complete the network operation exceeds a threshold the user may be warned and given an opportunity to cancel the operation or adjust the way in which the operation will be performed. If the amount of network resource a network operation will consume is unknown, a rate of use of the network resource is determined and a time until the budget is reached is estimated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Amer A. Hassan, Billy R. Anders, JR., Pehkeong Teh, Andrew T. Baron, Shai Guday, Upshur W. Parks, Marco Piumatti, Dmitry A. Anipko
  • Patent number: 10355914
    Abstract: Techniques for procedure for a problem for a communication session are described. According to various embodiments, techniques may be employed to remedy problems that may occur during a communication session, such as via bandwidth reallocation, dynamic remapping of routing paths, and so forth. In at least some implementations, a service policy for a communication session is reconfigured to attempt to remedy a problem that occurs during the communication session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Pascal F. Menezes, Amer A. Hassan, Jon Morrow
  • Publication number: 20190215676
    Abstract: An initiating device can receive an initiation of a call via a VoIP calling application. The initiating device can detect a failure of the call and confirm a proximity within a range of a proxy device to the initiating device, where the proxy device is a cellular-enabled device. Upon confirming the proximity within a range of the proxy device, the initiating device can route the call through the proxy device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Amer A. HASSAN, Russell A. PENAR
  • Patent number: 10349444
    Abstract: Techniques for priority access to a priority access channel are described. In at least some embodiments, a portion of the radio spectrum is divided into general access (GA) channels and priority access (PA) channels. Levels of access to the different channels are controlled based upon priority levels of devices attempting to access the channels. For instance, embodiments employ a channel database that tracks available GA channels and PA channels, and notifies various devices of the available channels. The channel database may also track keys for PA channels that enable authentication of devices for priority access to PA channels. In at least some embodiments, tracking available GA channels and PA channels enables underutilized radio channels to be identified for various uses, such as for wireless broadband communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Amer A. Hassan, Paul William Alexander Mitchell, Todd Haugen, Paul W. Garnett
  • Patent number: 10334507
    Abstract: Opportunistic use of spectrum is disclosed that allows a device access to a wireless local area network (WLAN) when necessary on a restricted frequency band and provides efficient scanning and switching of device communications to an unrestricted frequency band when channels become available in the unrestricted frequency band. A device operating in the network on the restricted frequency band may receive information on a channel set over a channel in the restricted frequency band. The channel set may be a subset of channels in the network and indicate network channels available for potential use in the unrestricted frequency band. The device may then only scan the subset of channels in the channel set to search for available channels in the unrestricted band. The channel set may be determined by the network based on the operation of the device in the coverage of the restricted frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Amer Hassan, Mark Clear, Paul Mitchell, Paul Garnett
  • Patent number: 10320988
    Abstract: An initial data center can be selected to host a communication session between multiple participants. This data center can be initially selected based, at least in part, on a first set of effective distances (e.g., representing distances between the initial data center and the first group of participants modified by effective distance factors). For example, the data center closest to the centroid can be selected. The effective distance factor (or weighting) can be based on one or more of the participant's device/driver type, the participant's network type, the participant's connection type, and a participant weighting factor. Then, as the multiple participants on the conference session change or the effective distances change (e.g., based on a change in connectivity), a second data center can be selected to host the communication session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Amer Hassan, Gareth Lyndon Eadred Bridges, Bradford R. Clark, Timothy R. Allen, Russell Andrew Penar
  • Publication number: 20190173868
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling access to a network using a temporary image password are disclosed. In an implementation, a first image password may be configured as a network password. A display associated with the first image password may also be provided so the display is visible to a camera of a device. A second image password may be received at the network, where the second image password comprises a photo image of the display taken with the camera on the device accessing the network. The first and second image passwords may be compared, and, if the first image password and the second image password match, access to the network may be granted to the device. The display of the first password may comprise a display of the first image password itself, or comprise a display of a subject of the first image password.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Amer A. Hassan