Patents by Inventor Derek MacDonald

Derek MacDonald 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: 10920378
    Abstract: A stamped steel detectable warning tile and method of forming such includes preforming structures in the tile and subsequently coining the structures to form tactile portions to provide satisfactory end results. Further, the tactile portions can be formed in a staggered fashion along a press to distribute tonnage and extend the lifespan of the press, as well as control a curvature of the tile due to the press operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: TUF-TITE, INC.
    Inventors: Theodore W. Meyers, Samuel J. Gerrits, John Fairbanks, Mike Boyden, Craig Stefan, Michael C. Ruediger, Phillip Legreid, Derek Macdonald
  • Publication number: 20200021627
    Abstract: There is provided a packet-based communication system for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network. A client application on a first terminal is configured to determine an availability of one or more other, second user terminals installed with other instances of the client application, and to present a near-end user with an option to select one of said second user terminals for use by the near-end user in conjunction with the first user terminal when conducting a voice or video call with a far-end user via the client instances and packet-based communication system; thereby enabling the voice or video call to be conducted using the second terminal to consume or generate at least one stream of the call whilst the first user terminal concurrently generates or consumes at least another stream of the call or controls the call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Manrique Brenes, Dmytro Izotov, Derek MacDonald, Daniel Winston
  • Patent number: 10404762
    Abstract: There is provided a packet-based communication system for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network. A client application on a first terminal is configured to determine an availability of one or more other, second user terminals installed with other instances of the client application, and to present a near-end user with an option to select one of said second user terminals for use by the near-end user in conjunction with the first user terminal when conducting a voice or video call with a far-end user via the client instances and packet-based communication system; thereby enabling the voice or video call to be conducted using the second terminal to consume or generate at least one stream of the call whilst the first user terminal concurrently generates or consumes at least another stream of the call or controls the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: SKYPE
    Inventors: Manrique Brenes, Dmytro Izotov, Derek MacDonald, Daniel Winston
  • Publication number: 20190226158
    Abstract: A stamped steel detectable warning tile and method of forming such is described that includes preforming structures in the tile and subsequently coining the structures to form tactile portions to provide satisfactory end results. Further, the tactile portions can be formed in a staggered fashion along a press to distribute tonnage and extend the lifespan of the press, as well as control a curvature of the tile due to the press operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Theodore W. Meyers, Samuel J. Gerrits, John Fairbanks, Mike Boyden, Craig Stefan, Michael C. Ruediger, Phillip Legreid, Derek MacDonald
  • Patent number: 10291660
    Abstract: There is provided an instance of a client application enabling a first user terminal to access a packet-based communication system to conduct voice or video calls over a packet-based network. The client application is configured to receive an input from one or more audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal, and to operate in conjunction with one or more other instances of the client application executed on one or more respective second terminals so as to participate in an analysis of the one or more inputs in relation to an input from one or more audio and/or video input transducers of the one or more second terminals; thereby enabling selection of one of the first and second terminals for use by a near-end user in conducting a call with a far-end user of a third user terminal via the respective client instance and packet-based communication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: SKYPE
    Inventors: Derek MacDonald, Manrique Brenes
  • Patent number: 9774695
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for routing user communication data to a user associated with at least a first user device and a second user device operable in a communication system, including proxying a data message between the first user device and a presence server, extracting, from the data message, information indicative of an availability of the user, and routing user communication data to at least one of the first user device and the second user device based at least in part on the extracted information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Counterpath Corporation
    Inventors: Ivan Dean Bogdanovic, Derek MacDonald, John Bratt
  • Patent number: 9608946
    Abstract: An instant messaging client application is executed on a first terminal, to participate in threads of instant messaging between user terminals over a packet-based network, each thread comprising exchanging text-based messages between the user terminals of a selected group of contacts comprising the first user and at least one second user. A digital record of the messages is maintained in a data storage medium. A further text-based message is received from one of the second terminals over the packet-based network, comprising a citation of a cited one of the text-based messages previously transmitted over the packet-based communication network and stored in the storage medium. The further message is processed at the first terminal so as, by reference to the storage medium, to recover a context of the cited message in relation to others of the text-based messages in the respective thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Skype
    Inventor: Derek MacDonald
  • Patent number: 9521360
    Abstract: A method, client application and user terminal, the method including providing a packet-based communication system for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network and providing an instance of a client application enabling a first user terminal to access the packet-based communication system. The client application is configured so as when executed on the first terminal to receive an input from multiple different audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal, to analyze those inputs in relation to one another, and based on that analysis to select at least one audio and/or video input transducer and/or output transducer of the first terminal for use in conducting a voice or video call with a remote user terminal via the packet-based communication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Skype
    Inventor: Derek MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20150372951
    Abstract: An instant messaging client application is executed on a first terminal, to participate in threads of instant messaging between user terminals over a packet-based network, each thread comprising exchanging text-based messages between the user terminals of a selected group of contacts comprising the first user and at least one second user. A digital record of the messages is maintained in a data storage medium. A further text-based message is received from one of the second terminals over the packet-based network, comprising a citation of a cited one of the text-based messages previously transmitted over the packet-based communication network and stored in the storage medium. The further message is processed at the first terminal so as, by reference to the storage medium, to recover a context of the cited message in relation to others of the text-based messages in the respective thread.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventor: Derek MacDonald
  • Patent number: 9043410
    Abstract: An instant messaging client application is executed on a first terminal, to participate in threads of instant messaging between user terminals over a packet-based network, each thread comprising exchanging text-based messages between the user terminals of a selected group of contacts comprising the first user and at least one second user. A digital record of the messages is maintained in a data storage medium. A further text-based message is received from one of the second terminals over the packet-based network, comprising a citation of a cited one of the text-based messages previously transmitted over the packet-based communication network and stored in the storage medium. The further message is processed at the first terminal so as, by reference to the storage medium, to recover a context of the cited message in relation to others of the text-based messages in the respective thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Skype
    Inventor: Derek MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20150124042
    Abstract: A method, client application and user terminal, the method including providing a packet-based communication system for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network and providing an instance of a client application enabling a first user terminal to access the packet-based communication system. The client application is configured so as when executed on the first terminal to receive an input from multiple different audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal, to analyze those inputs in relation to one another, and based on that analysis to select at least one audio and/or video input transducer and/or output transducer of the first terminal for use in conducting a voice or video call with a remote user terminal via the packet-based communication system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: Derek MacDonald
  • Patent number: 8963982
    Abstract: A method, client application and user terminal, the method including providing a packet-based communication system for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network and providing an instance of a client application enabling a first user terminal to access the packet-based communication system. The client application is configured so as when executed on the first terminal to receive an input from multiple different audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal, to analyze those inputs in relation to one another, and based on that analysis to select at least one audio and/or video input transducer and/or output transducer of the first terminal for use in conducting a voice or video call with a remote user terminal via the packet-based communication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Skype
    Inventor: Derek MacDonald
  • Patent number: 8447021
    Abstract: A communication system comprising: a terminal having: an interface to a network, whereby the terminal can be connected to another party on a communication session; an output for outputting a communication stream received from another party on a communication session; and a source of play-out stream independent of a communication session; and a communication controller for managing a communication session terminated at the terminal, the communication controller being configured to: a) when it detects that the terminal has been placed on hold in a communication session, cause play-out stream from the source of play-out stream to be directed to the output; and b) when it detects that the terminal has been taken off hold in the communication session, cause communication stream from the communication session to be directed to the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Skype
    Inventors: Theo Peter Zourzouvillys, Derek MacDonald, Eric Rescorla
  • Publication number: 20130046830
    Abstract: An instant messaging client application is executed on a first terminal, to participate in threads of instant messaging between user terminals over a packet-based network, each thread comprising exchanging text-based messages between the user terminals of a selected group of contacts comprising the first user and at least one second user. A digital record of the messages is maintained in a data storage medium. A further text-based message is received from one of the second terminals over the packet-based network, comprising a citation of a cited one of the text-based messages previously transmitted over the packet-based communication network and stored in the storage medium. The further message is processed at the first terminal so as, by reference to the storage medium, to recover a context of the cited message in relation to others of the text-based messages in the respective thread.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventor: Derek MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20120207147
    Abstract: There is provided an instance of a client application enabling a first user terminal to access a packet-based communication system to conduct voice or video calls over a packet-based network. The client application is configured to receive an input from one or more audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal, and to operate in conjunction with one or more other instances of the client application executed on one or more respective second terminals so as to participate in an analysis of the one or more inputs in relation to an input from one or more audio and/or video input transducers of the one or more second terminals; thereby enabling selection of one of the first and second terminals for use by a near-end user in conducting a call with a far-end user of a third user terminal via the respective client instance and packet-based communication system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventors: Derek MacDonald, Manrique Brenes
  • Publication number: 20120206553
    Abstract: A method, client application and user terminal, the method including providing a packet-based communication system for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network and providing an instance of a client application enabling a first user terminal to access the packet-based communication system. The client application is configured so as when executed on the first terminal to receive an input from multiple different audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal, to analyze those inputs in relation to one another, and based on that analysis to select at least one audio and/or video input transducer and/or output transducer of the first terminal for use in conducting a voice or video call with a remote user terminal via the packet-based communication system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventor: Derek MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20120182988
    Abstract: There is provided a packet-based communication system for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network. A client application on a first terminal is configured to determine an availability of one or more other, second user terminals installed with other instances of the client application, and to present a near-end user with an option to select one of said second user terminals for use by the near-end user in conjunction with the first user terminal when conducting a voice or video call with a far-end user via the client instances and packet-based communication system; thereby enabling the voice or video call to be conducted using the second terminal to consume or generate at least one stream of the call whilst the first user terminal concurrently generates or consumes at least another stream of the call or controls the call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventors: Manrique Brenes, Dmytro Izotov, Derek MacDonald, Daniel Winston
  • Publication number: 20110228914
    Abstract: A communication system comprising: a terminal having: an interface to a network, whereby the terminal can be connected to another party on a communication session; an output for outputting a communication stream received from another party on a communication session; and a source of play-out stream independent of a communication session; and a communication controller for managing a communication session terminated at the terminal, the communication controller being configured to: a) when it detects that the terminal has been placed on hold in a communication session, cause play-out stream from the source of play-out stream to be directed to the output; and b) when it detects that the terminal has been taken off hold in the communication session, cause communication stream from the communication session to be directed to the output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventors: Theo Peter Zourzouvillys, Derek MacDonald, Eric Rescorla
  • Publication number: 20110072154
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for routing user communication data to a user associated with at least a first user device and a second user device operable in a communication system, including proxying a data message between the first user device and a presence server, extracting, from the data message, information indicative of an availability of the user, and routing user communication data to at least one of the first user device and the second user device based at least in part on the extracted information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: Bridgeport Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Ivan Dean Bogdanovic, Derek MacDonald, John Bratt