Patents by Inventor Derek Ting

Derek Ting 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: 11778104
    Abstract: An example method of suggesting contacts in a communications routing system includes: routing, via a routing engine, communications events between a communications device and a plurality of further communications devices coupled to the communications routing system as VoIP calls using respective VoIP telephone numbers; storing, for a user account associated with the communications device, a contact database representing VoIP telephone numbers stored in a contact tracking application of the communications device; storing, in the contact database for the user account, a log of communications events including a record for each new telephone number; and when the record for a new telephone number satisfies a threshold condition, providing a prompt, at the communications device, to add the new telephone number to the contact tracking application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: TEXTNOW, INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Dennis Halk, Derek Ting
  • Patent number: 11641568
    Abstract: An example communications system for providing communication services between communications devices may employ multiple usage rates for metered communication services. A method for adjusting usage amounts to account for multiple usage rates may include determining a usage adjustment factor for a communications event; determining a metered usage amount for the communications event; and determining an adjusted usage amount based on the usage adjustment factor and the metered usage amount for the communications amount. Thus, a billing system in the communications system may determine an invoice amount based on the adjusted usage amount and a predetermined bill rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: TEXTNOW, INC.
    Inventor: Derek Ting
  • Patent number: 11399099
    Abstract: A database stores unique associations between account identifiers and mobile-network telephone numbers assigned by a mobile network to mobile communications devices. The account identifiers are also associated with voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephone numbers. Voice calls between the mobile communications devices are made as voice-over-IP (VoIP) calls using respective VoIP telephone numbers. Tracking of the VoIP calls is performed through the mobile network using respective mobile-network telephone numbers, so that a prepaid balance can be enforced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: TEXTNOW, INC.
    Inventors: Derek Ting, Jonathan Lerner
  • Publication number: 20220053090
    Abstract: An example method of assigning a telephone number to a user account in a communications system is provided. The method includes obtaining a mnemonic seed and obtaining a subset of telephone numbers filtered from a global telephone number pool based on the mnemonic seed. The alphanumeric representation of each telephone number in the subset is within a threshold Hamming distance of the mnemonic seed. The method further includes receiving an indication of a selected telephone number from the subset and assigning the selected telephone number to the user account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Derek Ting, Michael Kovacevic, Jonathan Dennis Halk
  • Patent number: 11190636
    Abstract: An example method of assigning a telephone number to a user account in a communications system is provided. The method includes obtaining a mnemonic seed and obtaining a subset of telephone numbers filtered from a global telephone number pool based on the mnemonic seed. The alphanumeric representation of each telephone number in the subset is within a threshold Hamming distance of the mnemonic seed. The method further includes receiving an indication of a selected telephone number from the subset and assigning the selected telephone number to the user account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: TEXTNOW, INC.
    Inventors: Derek Ting, Michael Kovacevic, Jonathan Dennis Halk
  • Publication number: 20210227360
    Abstract: An example communications system for providing communication services between communications devices may employ multiple usage rates for metered communication services. A method for adjusting usage amounts to account for multiple usage rates may include determining a usage adjustment factor for a communications event; determining a metered usage amount for the communications event; and determining an adjusted usage amount based on the usage adjustment factor and the metered usage amount for the communications amount. Thus, a billing system in the communications system may determine an invoice amount based on the adjusted usage amount and a predetermined bill rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventor: Derek Ting
  • Publication number: 20210168242
    Abstract: An example method of suggesting contacts in a communications routing system includes: routing, via a routing engine, communications events between a communications device and a plurality of further communications devices coupled to the communications routing system as VoIP calls using respective VoIP telephone numbers; storing, for a user account associated with the communications device, a contact database representing VoIP telephone numbers stored in a contact tracking application of the communications device; storing, in the contact database for the user account, a log of communications events including a record for each new telephone number; and when the record for a new telephone number satisfies a threshold condition, providing a prompt, at the communications device, to add the new telephone number to the contact tracking application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Jonathan Dennis Halk, Derek Ting
  • Patent number: 11006252
    Abstract: An example communications system for providing communication services between communications devices may employ multiple usage rates for metered communication services. A method for adjusting usage amounts to account for multiple usage rates may include determining a usage adjustment factor for a communications event; determining a metered usage amount for the communications event; and determining an adjusted usage amount based on the usage adjustment factor and the metered usage amount for the communications amount. Thus, a billing system in the communications system may determine an invoice amount based on the adjusted usage amount and a predetermined bill rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: TEXTNOW, INC.
    Inventor: Derek Ting
  • Patent number: 10951773
    Abstract: An example method of suggesting contacts in a communications routing system includes: routing, via a routing engine, communications events between a communications device and a plurality of further communications devices coupled to the communications routing system as VoIP calls using respective VoIP telephone numbers; storing, for a user account associated with the communications device, a contact database representing VoIP telephone numbers stored in a contact tracking application of the communications device; storing, in the contact database for the user account, a log of communications events including a record for each new telephone number; and when the record for a new telephone number satisfies a threshold condition, providing a prompt, at the communications device, to add the new telephone number to the contact tracking application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TEXTNOW, INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Dennis Halk, Derek Ting
  • Publication number: 20210029252
    Abstract: A database stores unique associations between account identifiers and mobile-network telephone numbers assigned by a mobile network to mobile communications devices. The account identifiers are also associated with voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephone numbers. Voice calls between the mobile communications devices are made as voice-over-IP (VoIP) calls using respective VoIP telephone numbers. Tracking of the VoIP calls is performed through the mobile network using respective mobile-network telephone numbers, so that a prepaid balance can be enforced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Derek Ting, Jonathan Lerner
  • Patent number: 10887471
    Abstract: A mobile communications device receives an indication of a balance from a server when establishment of a voice call or sending of a message is requested. The mobile communications device determines whether the balance is sufficient to place the voice call or send the message over a mobile network. If the balance is sufficient to place the voice call or send the message over the mobile network, the voice call is established or the message is sent under normal operating conditions. If the balance is insufficient to place the voice call or send the message over the mobile network, a grace period is activated and the voice call is established or the message is sent during the grace period over an available wireless local-area network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: TEXTNOW, INC.
    Inventors: Derek Ting, Tristan Huntington, Rich Wong
  • Patent number: 10855847
    Abstract: A database stores unique associations between account identifiers and mobile-network telephone numbers assigned by a mobile network to mobile communications devices. The account identifiers are also associated with voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephone numbers. Voice calls between the mobile communications devices are made as voice-over-IP (VoIP) calls using respective VoIP telephone numbers. Tracking of the VoIP calls is performed through the mobile network using respective mobile-network telephone numbers, so that a prepaid balance can be enforced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: TEXTNOW, INC.
    Inventors: Derek Ting, Jonathan Lerner
  • Publication number: 20200288020
    Abstract: An example method of suggesting contacts in a communications routing system includes: routing, via a routing engine, communications events between a communications device and a plurality of further communications devices coupled to the communications routing system as VoIP calls using respective VoIP telephone numbers; storing, for a user account associated with the communications device, a contact database representing VoIP telephone numbers stored in a contact tracking application of the communications device; storing, in the contact database for the user account, a log of communications events including a record for each new telephone number; and when the record for a new telephone number satisfies a threshold condition, providing a prompt, at the communications device, to add the new telephone number to the contact tracking application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Jonathan Dennis Halk, Derek Ting
  • Publication number: 20200260238
    Abstract: An example communications system for providing communication services between communications devices may employ multiple usage rates for metered communication services. A method for adjusting usage amounts to account for multiple usage rates may include determining a usage adjustment factor for a communications event; determining a metered usage amount for the communications event; and determining an adjusted usage amount based on the usage adjustment factor and the metered usage amount for the communications amount. Thus, a billing system in the communications system may determine an invoice amount based on the adjusted usage amount and a predetermined bill rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventor: Derek Ting
  • Publication number: 20200244798
    Abstract: An example method of assigning a telephone number to a user account in a communications system is provided. The method includes obtaining a mnemonic seed and obtaining a subset of telephone numbers filtered from a global telephone number pool based on the mnemonic seed. The alphanumeric representation of each telephone number in the subset is within a threshold Hamming distance of the mnemonic seed. The method further includes receiving an indication of a selected telephone number from the subset and assigning the selected telephone number to the user account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Derek Ting, Michael Kovacevic, Jonathan Dennis Halk
  • Patent number: 10681510
    Abstract: An example communications system for providing communication services between communications devices may employ multiple usage rates for metered communication services. A method for adjusting usage amounts to account for multiple usage rates may include determining a usage adjustment factor for a communications event; determining a metered usage amount for the communications event; and determining an adjusted usage amount based on the usage adjustment factor and the metered usage amount for the communications amount. Thus, a billing system in the communications system may determine an invoice amount based on the adjusted usage amount and a predetermined bill rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: TEXTNOW, INC.
    Inventor: Derek Ting
  • Patent number: 10666795
    Abstract: An example method of assigning a telephone number to a user account in a communications system is provided. The method includes obtaining a mnemonic seed and obtaining a subset of telephone numbers filtered from a global telephone number pool based on the mnemonic seed. The alphanumeric representation of each telephone number in the subset is within a threshold Hamming distance of the mnemonic seed. The method further includes receiving an indication of a selected telephone number from the subset and assigning the selected telephone number to the user account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: TEXTNOW, INC.
    Inventors: Derek Ting, Michael Kovacevic, Jonathan Dennis Halk
  • Publication number: 20190379787
    Abstract: An example method of assigning a telephone number to a user account in a communications system is provided. The method includes obtaining a mnemonic seed and obtaining a subset of telephone numbers filtered from a global telephone number pool based on the mnemonic seed. The alphanumeric representation of each telephone number in the subset is within a threshold Hamming distance of the mnemonic seed. The method further includes receiving an indication of a selected telephone number from the subset and assigning the selected telephone number to the user account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Derek TING, Michael KOVACEVIC, Jonathan Dennis HALK
  • Publication number: 20190306311
    Abstract: An example method of assigning a telephone number to a user account in a communications system is provided. The method includes obtaining a mnemonic seed and obtaining a subset of telephone numbers filtered from a global telephone number pool based on the mnemonic seed. The alphanumeric representation of each telephone number in the subset is within a threshold Hamming distance of the mnemonic seed. The method further includes receiving an indication of a selected telephone number from the subset and assigning the selected telephone number to the user account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Derek TING, Michael KOVACEVIC, Jonathan Dennis HALK
  • Publication number: 20190306674
    Abstract: An example communications system for providing communication services between communications devices may employ multiple usage rates for metered communication services. A method for adjusting usage amounts to account for multiple usage rates may include determining a usage adjustment factor for a communications event; determining a metered usage amount for the communications event; and determining an adjusted usage amount based on the usage adjustment factor and the metered usage amount for the communications amount. Thus, a billing system in the communications system may determine an invoice amount based on the adjusted usage amount and a predetermined bill rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventor: DEREK TING