Patents by Inventor James C. Ehlinger
James C. Ehlinger 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).
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Patent number: 9036628Abstract: A network is defined with several alternative softswitches/proxies, which may be used for communication. Each softswitch/proxy has a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address. The softswitches/proxies receive configuration data from a centralized user-profile server, which maintains user-profile information. A centralized call-detail record (CDR) server is connected to each softswitch/proxy and maintains CDRs on each user on each softswitch/proxy. Based on the network configuration, an end-device configuration system generates a provisioning file. The provisioning file includes the IP addresses of each softswitch/proxy. The provisioning file is communicated to user devices. Each user device accesses the provisioning file and uses the IP address for communication. Should the communication fail for any reason, the user device may autonomously access the provisioning file and initiate another call using the next IP address in the provisioning file.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2013Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: James C. Ehlinger, Christopher P. Gilboy, Marius Jonas Gudelis
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Patent number: 8582568Abstract: A network is defined with several alternative softswitches/proxies, which may be used for communication. Each softswitch/proxy has a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address. The softswitches/proxies receive configuration data from a centralized user-profile server, which maintains user-profile information. A centralized call-detail record (CDR) server also is connected to each softswitch/proxy and maintains CDRs on each user on each softswitch/proxy. Based on the network configuration, an end-device configuration system generates a provisioning file. The provisioning file includes the IP addresses of each softswitch/proxy. The provisioning file is communicated to user devices. Each user device accesses the provisioning file and uses the IP address for communication. Should the communication fail for any reason, the user device may autonomously access the provisioning file and initiate another call using the next IP address in the provisioning file. This process may continue until a call is completed.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2008Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: James C. Ehlinger, Christopher P. Gilboy, Marius J. Gudelis
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Publication number: 20130279321Abstract: A network is defined with several alternative softswitches/proxies, which may be used for communication. Each softswitch/proxy has a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address. The softswitches/proxies receive configuration data from a centralized user-profile server, which maintains user-profile information. A centralized call-detail record (CDR) server is connected to each softswitch/proxy and maintains CDRs on each user on each softswitch/proxy. Based on the network configuration, an end-device configuration system generates a provisioning file. The provisioning file includes the IP addresses of each softswitch/proxy. The provisioning file is communicated to user devices. Each user device accesses the provisioning file and uses the IP address for communication. Should the communication fail for any reason, the user device may autonomously access the provisioning file and initiate another call using the next IP address in the provisioning file.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2013Publication date: October 24, 2013Inventors: JAMES C. EHLINGER, Christopher P. Gilboy, Marius Jonas Gudelis
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Patent number: 7817012Abstract: When an entity (such as a customer using a communication device 131, 141, 151 . . . ) attempts to communicate with a target (such as an employee), an arrangement indicates to the customer, “status” information describing at least the employee's present and future ability to communicate with the entity (such as by returning his call). At least one sensing device 111-119 is configured to provide sensing information concerning the target employee's status in response to an action of the target employee with respect to the sensing device. A monitoring server 102 is configured to receive the sensing information and to govern communication to the entity (customer) of the target's “status.” In one implementation, a particular sensing device (such as a cash register 111, computer terminal 112, or time clock 113) is configured to perform both (A) a primary function that is not related to providing the sensing information, and (B) the secondary function of providing the sensing information.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2008Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: James C. Ehlinger, Christopher P. Gilboy, Marius J. Gudelis
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Publication number: 20080285734Abstract: When an entity (such as a customer using a communication device 131, 141, 151 . . . ) attempts to communicate with a target (such as an employee), an arrangement indicates to the customer, “status” information describing at least the employee's present and future ability to communicate with the entity (such as by returning his call). At least one sensing device 111-119 is configured to provide sensing information concerning the target employee's status in response to an action of the target employee with respect to the sensing device. A monitoring server 102 is configured to receive the sensing information and to govern communication to the entity (customer) of the target's “status.” In one implementation, a particular sensing device (such as a cash register 111, computer terminal 112, or time clock 113) is configured to perform both (A) a primary function that is not related to providing the sensing information, and (B) the secondary function of providing the sensing information.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2008Publication date: November 20, 2008Inventors: James C. Ehlinger, Christopher P. Gilboy, Marius J. Gudelis
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Publication number: 20080205384Abstract: A network is defined with several alternative softswitches/proxies, which may be used for communication. Each softswitch/proxy has a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address. The softswitches/proxies receive configuration data from a centralized user-profile server, which maintains user-profile information. A centralized call-detail record (CDR) server also is connected to each softswitch/proxy and maintains CDRs on each user on each softswitch/proxy. Based on the network configuration, an end-device configuration system generates a provisioning file. The provisioning file includes the IP addresses of each softswitch/proxy. The provisioning file is communicated to user devices. Each user device accesses the provisioning file and uses the IP address for communication. Should the communication fail for any reason, the user device may autonomously access the provisioning file and initiate another call using the next IP address in the provisioning file. This process may continue until a call is completed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2008Publication date: August 28, 2008Inventors: James C. Ehlinger, Christopher P. Gilboy, Marius J. Gudelis
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Patent number: 7394345Abstract: When an entity (such as a customer using a communication device 131, 141, 151 . . . ) attempts to communicate with a target (such as an employee), an arrangement indicates to the customer, “status” information describing at least the employee's present and future ability to communicate with the entity (such as by returning his call). At least one sensing device 111-119 is configured to provide sensing information concerning the target employee's status in response to an action of the target employee with respect to the sensing device. A monitoring server 102 is configured to receive the sensing information and to govern communication to the entity (customer) of the target's “status.” In one implementation, a particular sensing device (such as a cash register 111, computer terminal 112, or time clock 113) is configured to perform both (A) a primary function that is not related to providing the sensing information, and (B) the secondary function of providing the sensing information.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2003Date of Patent: July 1, 2008Assignee: AT&T Corp.Inventors: James C. Ehlinger, Christopher P. Gilboy, Marius J. Gudelis
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Patent number: 7369538Abstract: A network is defined with several alternative softswitches/proxies, which may be used for communication. Each softswitch/proxy has a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address. The softswitches/proxies receive configuration data from a centralized user-profile server, which maintains user-profile information. A centralized call-detail record (CDR) server also is connected to each softswitch/proxy and maintains CDRs on each user on each softswitch/proxy. Based on the network configuration, an end-device configuration system generates a provisioning file. The provisioning file includes the IP addresses of each softswitch/proxy. The provisioning file is communicated to user devices. Each user device accesses the provisioning file and uses the IP address for communication. Should the communication fail for any reason, the user device may autonomously access the provisioning file and initiate another call using the next IP address in the provisioning file. This process may continue until a call is completed.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2002Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: AT&T Corp.Inventors: James C. Ehlinger, Christopher P. Gilboy, Marius J. Gudelis
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Patent number: 6987840Abstract: An integrated message management system that allows a subscriber to retrieve voice mail messages using a voice mail or email server, and that also updates the status of messages on both servers upon retrieval of the message from either server. The voice mail server is accessed via a local exchange carrier, whereas the email server is accessed via the Internet. The email server also notifies the subscriber of the presence of a new message. When the subscriber retrieves a voice mail message, the email server updates the status of the corresponding email message. Similarly, when a subscriber retrieves an email message, the voice mail server updates the status of the corresponding voice mail message. This eliminates the need for a subscriber to manually change the status of corresponding messages to “clean out” a voice mail or email box when the other is accessed.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2001Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Assignee: AT&T Corp.Inventors: Barry S. Bosik, James C. Ehlinger, Amit Garg, Rajeev B. Patil, Jeffrey L. Tuttle
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Patent number: 6847704Abstract: An architecture and technique for creating self-installable and portable telephony (dial tone) service that can be moved between any two locations that has access to both a voice communication network and a data network. A telephony adapter is used as a subscriber premises device that is connected between a conventional telephone set and both a voice network and a data network. A provisioning server communicates with the telephony adapter through the data network and maintains a record of the subscriber's local telephone number and IP address of the telephony adapter. As the subscriber moves from one location to another, the telephony adapter (once turned “on”) will communicate with the provisioning server and re-establish phone service, always using the same local phone number of the subscriber.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2002Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: AT&T Corp.Inventors: Ali M. Cherchali, James C. Ehlinger, Marius Jonas Gudelis, William G. Lester, Robert J. McLaughlin
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Publication number: 20040086094Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of notifying a caller of personal event information during the set-up of a call between the caller and a called party. A query is received from a communication network carrying the call from the caller to determine if the caller is a subscriber to a notification service. If the caller is a subscriber, a Notification and Management System (NMS) is queried to determine if the caller has any pending notifications pertaining to personal event information. If the caller has pending notifications, the call is temporarily sent to an announcement system. The pending notifications are played to the caller during call set-up. The communication network is instructed to continue to route the call to the called party.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2002Publication date: May 6, 2004Inventors: Barry S. Bosik, James C. Ehlinger, Gary A. Munson