Patents by Inventor Charles Woodson

Charles Woodson 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: 8594626
    Abstract: Methods and media for post-paid wireless service balance management are described. In one embodiment, it is determined that a usage threshold has been met based upon a concluded wireless session occurring during a billing period associated with an account. Upon determining that the threshold has been met, enforcement points are provisioned to monitor wireless service usage associated with the account. Further, upon receiving a request for service, and prior to commencing the wireless session, it is determined whether the request exceeds account resources. If the request does not exceed the account resources, the request is allowed. If the request does exceed the account resources, the request is handled based on an account status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Charles Woodson, Russell Kindred, Christina Spieker, Daniel Steinel, John Gallagher, Keith Fenton, Scott Groth
  • Patent number: 7596219
    Abstract: A method for setting up a call to a subscriber station. The method comprises, at a first telecommunications platform, receiving a first request to set up a call to a subscriber station. The first request is processed at a second telecommunications platform. The second platform provides a second request to set up the call to the subscriber station, where the second request includes a non-loop parameter. The second request is received at the first platform and the first platform responsively sends a service request including the non-loop parameter to a third telecommunications platform. The third platform detects the non-loop parameter and, in response to at least the non-loop parameter, directs the first platform to set up the call to the subscriber station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Baoquan Zhang, Karen H. Miller, Charles Woodson
  • Patent number: 7215754
    Abstract: A method and system for subscriber selection from multiple predefined profile sets. The method comprises maintaining the multiple predefined profile sets for a subscriber in a communication network. Each of the predefined profile sets defines a respective configuration of multiple services to which the subscriber subscribes. The method then comprises receiving a request from the subscriber to make a given one of the predefined profile sets an active set for the subscriber and responsively making the given predefined profile set an active set for the subscriber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Charles Woodson, Tom Sladek, Baoquan (Alex) Zhang
  • Patent number: 7043241
    Abstract: A method and system for provisioning authorization for use of a service in a communications network. In response to a dialed feature code by a subscriber, a network entity may modify the subscriber's profile maintained by a serving system to authorize use of a service by the subscriber as indicated by the feature code. Alternatively, the subscriber's profile may be modified to prohibit use of the service as instructed by the dialed feature code. Therefore, the subscriber may effectively subscribe to or unsubscribe from a service in this manner by dialing a feature code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Sladek, Charles Woodson, Alex Zhang, Debashis Haldar
  • Publication number: 20060030357
    Abstract: An IP PBX system that serves enterprise telephones via a landline IP network connection is be expanded to serve cellular wireless communication devices (WCD) via a cellular wireless carrier's radio access network (RAN). Calls to and from the cellular WCD are connected through the cellular carrier's RAN and the IP PBX system, so that the IP PBX system can control and manage the calls just as the IP PBX would control and manage calls involving other extensions on the IP PBX. A cellular WCD thereby becomes an IP PBX client station, i.e., an extension on the IP PBX system. As such, the cellular WCD can seamlessly benefit from many of the same IP PBX features that other more conventional IP PBX client stations (e.g., desk phones) enjoy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Publication date: February 9, 2006
    Applicant: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Von McConnell, Jeffrey Phillips, Dorene Weiland, Charles Woodson, Farni Weaver, Lyle Paczkowski
  • Publication number: 20060025114
    Abstract: A method for dynamically selecting a voice mail system to receive a call on behalf of a cellular wireless subscriber. A radio access network (RAN) receives a voice mail call request, and a policy server determines which of a plurality of voice mail systems should receive the call from the media gateway system. The policy server can make this determination based on user profile logic and/or by voice interaction with the caller. In one embodiment, the determination may be whether to set up the call to a voice mail system provided by the subscriber's wireless carrier or rather whether to set up the call to a voice mail system provided by an enterprise that serves the subscriber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Applicant: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Mark Bales, Farni Weaver, Charles Woodson
  • Publication number: 20060025139
    Abstract: A method for using an account balance to limit application of cellular-PBX integration service. A cellular wireless communication device (WCD) will be allotted a quantity of cellular-PBX integration service, such as a number of minutes of use per month for instance. The quantity will be decremented a the WCD uses the service, and the WCD may be precluded from benefiting from the cellular-PBX integration service upon exhaustion of the balance. In one embodiment, for instance, when a radio access network (RAN) that serves the WCD receives a call request for the WCD, the account balance can be used as a basis to decide whether to pass the call to an IP PBX server that serves the WCD or whether to have the RAN handle the call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Applicant: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Mark Bales, Farni Weaver, Charles Woodson
  • Publication number: 20060023657
    Abstract: A method and system for selectively applying a cellular-PBX integration service. When a radio access network (RAN) receives a call request seeking to set up a call for a cellular wireless communication device (WCD) that is operating in the coverage area of the RAN, a determination is made as to whether the WCD is currently checked-into a cellular-PBX integration service. A service control point (SCP), for instance, may make the determination. If the determination is that the WCD is currently checked-in, then the call is set up to an IP PBX server that services the WCD, and the IP PBX server may then handle the call as it would handle a call placed to any IP PBX extension. Further, differential billing can be applied, charging an enterprise billing-account for the call if the WCD is checked-in, and charging a WCD billing-account for the call if the WCD is not checked-in.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Applicant: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Charles Woodson, Jeffrey Phillips, Lyle Paczkowski, Mark Bales, Farni Weaver
  • Patent number: 6947531
    Abstract: A system and method for advertising supported communications in a telecommunications network are described. One exemplary method includes receiving a call request to connect a call from an originating subscriber terminal to a destination subscriber terminal. The call request includes a destination identifier such as a MIN or a PSTN telephone number associated with the destination terminal. The method further includes providing at least one advertisement to a subscriber associated with the originating terminal, determining a free calling balance for the subscriber based on the advertisements being provided to the subscriber and the destination identifier, connecting the call from the originating terminal to the destination terminal, and monitoring as well as decrementing the free calling balance as the call progresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Ronald Lewis, Charles Woodson
  • Publication number: 20020194331
    Abstract: A mobile station that is fully engaged such that it cannot be connected to an incoming call without being disconnected from an existing call receives an incoming call notification. The incoming call notification may, for example, take the form of a short message system (SMS) message or a packet protocol message, such as a session initiation protocol (SIP) message. The incoming call notification may identify the calling party and may explain how to take the incoming call. If the user accepts the incoming call, the mobile station is disconnected from existing calls and connected to the incoming call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Ronald E. Lewis, Charles Woodson, Baoquan Zhang, Arun Santharam, Daren R. Furness, Von K. McConnell