Patents by Inventor Gerald A. Starling

Gerald A. Starling 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: 8787550
    Abstract: A call is processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call and allowing the call to complete in a jurisdiction associated with a national nature of address indicator if the nature of address indicator is international. A call is also processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call. A number of digits associated with a calling party number in the signaling message is determined and the call is allowed to complete if the nature of address indicator is national and the number of digits associated with the calling party number exceeds ten.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Gerald Starling, Robert Dewey Smith, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8619961
    Abstract: A self-provisioning telephony service includes assigning a toll-free telephone number to a customer account for a customer of a telecommunications provider, distributing the toll-free telephone number and an access number to the customer along with an invitation to provision a toll-free telephone number service, and receiving, at a local exchange carrier switch, a call from the customer. The access number is identified by the local exchange carrier switch for the call in response to performing a call number translation. The telephony service also includes accessing, by a server, the toll-free telephone number identified for the customer account and generating a provisioning order that includes a customer telephone number from the customer account and the toll-free telephone number. The telephony service further includes transmitting the provisioning order to a service control server, the service control server activating the toll-free telephone number for the customer account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Gerald A. Starling, Dirk S. Henson, Ken A. Loveless, Jeffrey Broadus
  • Publication number: 20130279682
    Abstract: A call is processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call and allowing the call to complete in a jurisdiction associated with a national nature of address indicator if the nature of address indicator is international. A call is also processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call. A number of digits associated with a calling party number in the signaling message is determined and the call is allowed to complete if the nature of address indicator is national and the number of digits associated with the calling party number exceeds ten.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Gerald Starling, Robert Dewey Smith, JR.
  • Patent number: 8467516
    Abstract: A call is processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call and allowing the call to complete in a jurisdiction associated with a national nature of address indicator if the nature of address indicator is international. A call is also processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call. A number of digits associated with a calling party number in the signaling message is determined and the call is allowed to complete if the nature of address indicator is national and the number of digits associated with the calling party number exceeds ten.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Gerald Starling, Robert Dewey Smith
  • Publication number: 20120288078
    Abstract: A self-provisioning telephony service includes assigning a toll-free telephone number to a customer account for a customer of a telecommunications provider, distributing the toll-free telephone number and an access number to the customer along with an invitation to provision a toll-free telephone number service, and receiving, at a local exchange carrier switch, a call from the customer. The access number is identified by the local exchange carrier switch for the call in response to performing a call number translation. The telephony service also includes accessing, by a server, the toll-free telephone number identified for the customer account and generating a provisioning order that includes a customer telephone number from the customer account and the toll-free telephone number. The telephony service further includes transmitting the provisioning order to a service control server, the service control server activating the toll-free telephone number for the customer account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Gerald A. Starling, Dirk S. Henson, Ken A. Loveless, Jeffrey Broadus
  • Publication number: 20120244845
    Abstract: A call is processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call and allowing the call to complete in a jurisdiction associated with a national nature of address indicator if the nature of address indicator is international. A call is also processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call. A number of digits associated with a calling party number in the signaling message is determined and the call is allowed to complete if the nature of address indicator is national and the number of digits associated with the calling party number exceeds ten.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Gerald Starling, Robert Dewey Smith
  • Patent number: 8229095
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and storage mediums for implementing self-provisioning telephony services are provided. A method includes storing an access number at a service control server that services a local exchange carrier switch. The method also includes assigning a toll-free number to a customer account and distributing the toll-free number and access number to the corresponding customer. The method further includes receiving, at the local exchange carrier switch, a call from a customer, the call identified as the access number. The method also includes routing the call to a server and, absent human intervention, the server accessing the toll-free number identified for the customer account and generating a provisioning order that includes a customer telephone number from the customer account and the toll-free number. The method also includes transmitting the provisioning order to the service control server, the service control server activating the toll-free number for the customer account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Gerald A. Starling, Dirk S. Henson, Ken A. Loveless, Jeffrey Broadus
  • Patent number: 8213593
    Abstract: A call is processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call and allowing the call to complete in a jurisdiction associated with a national nature of address indicator if the nature of address indicator is international. A call is also processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call. A number of digits associated with a calling party number in the signaling message is determined and the call is allowed to complete if the nature of address indicator is national and the number of digits associated with the calling party number exceeds ten.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Gerald Starling, Robert Dewey Smith
  • Publication number: 20100067675
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and storage mediums for implementing self-provisioning telephony services are provided. A method includes storing an access number at a service control server that services a local exchange carrier switch. The method also includes assigning a toll-free number to a customer account and distributing the toll-free number and access number to the corresponding customer. The method further includes receiving, at the local exchange carrier switch, a call from a customer, the call identified as the access number. The method also includes routing the call to a server and, absent human intervention, the server accessing the toll-free number identified for the customer account and generating a provisioning order that includes a customer telephone number from the customer account and the toll-free number. The method also includes transmitting the provisioning order to the service control server, the service control server activating the toll-free number for the customer account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Gerald A. Starling, Dirk S. Henson, Ken A. Loveless, Jeffrey Broadus
  • Patent number: 7643627
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to methods, systems, and storage mediums for providing self-provisioning telephony services. The method includes receiving a request for the self-provisioning telephony services from a caller of a telecommunications service provider. The method also includes prompting the caller to provide information for facilitating implementation of the self-provisioning telephony services. The method further includes implementing the self-provisioning telephony services, without human intervention from a telecommunications service provider, in response to information received as a result of the prompting. The self-provisioning telephony services include activating an account for a new telephone number, modifying an account for an existing telephone number, retrieving a forgotten personal identification number, and canceling an account for an existing telephone number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property, I,L.P.
    Inventors: Gerald A. Starling, Dirk S. Henson, Ken A. Loveless, Jeffrey Broadus
  • Patent number: 7593518
    Abstract: A network processes a call that has a calling party number field in a signaling message that is associated therewith. The calling party number field includes a calling party number and command codes that are used to activate a function at a terminating device and/or convey information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Gerald Starling, Robert Dewey Smith
  • Publication number: 20070123279
    Abstract: A network processes a call that has a calling party number field in a signaling message that is associated therewith. The calling party number field includes a calling party number and command codes that are used to activate a function at a terminating device and/or convey information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventors: Gerald Starling, Robert Smith
  • Publication number: 20070047706
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and storage mediums for providing call routing services are provided. The method includes prompting a caller to select from options provided via a call routing service plan. The options are provided for enabling the caller to review existing call routing account information and modifying existing call routing account information. The method also includes retrieving a provisioning record for the caller in response to receiving an option selected by the caller. The provisioning record specifies the existing call routing account information. The method further includes executing the option selected by the caller and updating the provisioning record to reflect the execution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Applicant: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gerald Starling
  • Publication number: 20070003048
    Abstract: A call is processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call and allowing the call to complete in a jurisdiction associated with a national nature of address indicator if the nature of address indicator is international. A call is also processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call. A number of digits associated with a calling party number in the signaling message is determined and the call is allowed to complete if the nature of address indicator is national and the number of digits associated with the calling party number exceeds ten.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Gerald Starling, Robert Smith
  • Publication number: 20060168193
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for detecting an incident within a communications network are provided. A method involves establishing a fingerprint for at least one of the network elements associated with the communications network. Each fingerprint established includes at least one message signaling characteristic and/or at least one message signaling parameter of one of the network elements. The method also involves monitoring message communications within the communications network, comparing the message communications monitored to each fingerprint established, and determining whether a change to at least one fingerprint established and/or a network element without an established fingerprint has been introduced within the communications network. Still further, the method may involve providing notice of the change and/or the network element without an established fingerprint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventor: Gerald Starling
  • Publication number: 20060008066
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to methods, systems, and storage mediums for providing self-provisioning telephony services. The method includes receiving a request for the self-provisioning telephony services from a caller of a telecommunications service provider. The method also includes prompting the caller to provide information for facilitating implementation of the self-provisioning telephony services. The method further includes implementing the self-provisioning telephony services, without human intervention from a telecommunications service provider, in response to information received as a result of the prompting. The self-provisioning telephony services include activating an account for a new telephone number, modifying an account for an existing telephone number, retrieving a forgotten personal identification number, and canceling an account for an existing telephone number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Inventors: Gerald Starling, Dirk Henson, Ken Loveless, Jeffrey Broadus
  • Publication number: 20050281398
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to methods, systems, and storage mediums for providing call routing services. The method includes retrieving vendor pricing data in response to a call received from a caller. The call seeks termination at a destination party number. The method also includes retrieving customer preference data for the caller, analyzing the vendor pricing data and the customer preference data in light of the destination party number, generating a call routing plan resulting from the analyzing, and executing the call in accordance with the call routing plan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventor: Gerald Starling