Patents by Inventor Cheryl A. Nichols

Cheryl A. Nichols 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).

  • Identifying and ranking high-impact churn sectors
    Patent number: 8355945
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is directed toward identifying a number of high-ranking sectors requiring additional communication resources in a network composed of a number of sectors. A set of wireless-service subscribers that have churned are identified. Various sector profile data is captured for sectors serving the churners. The sectors are ranked based on the sector profile data that is collected. A number of high-ranking sectors are identified, based on the ranking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Abhishek Lall, Cheryl Nichols, Syed Ubaid Ahmed, Feng Xie, Jorge Toledo Climaco
  • Resource allocation through bouncing-busy hour traffic modeling
    Patent number: 8326311
    Abstract: Method for determining one or more sectors requiring additional communications resources in a network divided into a plurality of sectors. Usage data is determined within each sector. The sectors are divided into a number of groups based on the usage data for each sector. An ordering of sectors in each group is created, based on average usage data of the sectors. One or more sectors requiring additional communication resources are determined based on the ordering of sectors in each group, and the allocation of additional communications resources is facilitated consistent with the ordering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Feng Xie, Syed Ubaid Ahmed, Jorge Toledo Climaco, Stephen R. Bales, Cheryl Nichols
  • Resource allocation through bouncing-busy hour traffic modeling
    Patent number: 8073455
    Abstract: An embodiment of the current invention is directed to determining one or more sectors in a network divided into sectors that require additional communication resources. Total-hourly, busy-time traffic is collected for each sector. A total-monthly, busy-time traffic is determined for each month, based on the total-hourly, busy-time traffic. The sectors are divided into a number of groups, based on the total-monthly, busy-time traffic for each sector. An ordering of sectors in each group is created, based on the total-hourly, busy-time traffic, utilizing a different ordering algorithm for each group. One or more sectors requiring additional communication resources are determined based on the ordering of sectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Feng Xie, Syed Ubaid Ahmed, Jorge Toledo Climaco, Stephen R Bales, Cheryl Nichols
  • Batting practice stand
    Patent number: 5540430
    Abstract: A portable base ball batting practice stand including a base having a post connected thereto and extending upwardly therefrom. A generally horizontal extension is connected to the post and extends outwardly therefrom. A ball is suspended by a line from the extension for one to practice batting. The base may have more than one base sections and the base sections may be hingidly attached to each other to allow the base to be folded for transport. The stand may also include a T-ball post which may be removably connected to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Inventors: Cheryl A. Nichols, Jacky R. Nichols