Patents by Inventor Jeffrey B. Sponaugle

Jeffrey B. Sponaugle 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: 6771640
    Abstract: A system is described including services for generating an electronic offer to participate in a voice communication session with a destination party, with the offer being contingent upon the satisfaction of a set of one or more offeror-stipulated conditions. The system further including services for receiving an indication from an offeree via a data network indicating acceptance of the offer and establishing the voice communication session between the offeree and the destination party in conformance with at least a subset of the one or more offeror-stipulated conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: ITXC, Inc.
    Inventors: Murali Karamchedu, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle
  • Publication number: 20040054744
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for semantic qualification and contextualization of electronic messages. In one embodiment, electronic messages are enriched with semantic qualifiers to provide contextualization of the messages as well as to facilitate semantic based searching, and post-processing of the electronic messages. In one embodiment of the invention, a given electronic message and/or its constituent content elements may be contextualized through the provision of one or more semantic qualifiers to convey a single meaning or compound meanings. In one embodiment, the semantic qualifiers may be automatically (i.e. without further user input) associated with one or more content elements based upon e.g. one or more identified contexts, whereas in antother embodiment the semantic qualifiers may be manually associated with one or more content elements through e.g. user input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Murali M. Karamchedu, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle
  • Publication number: 20040052339
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for establishing a voice call to a PSTN extension for a networked client computer, and routing the voice call off of the network, is provided. In a first embodiment, the apparatus comprises a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions for implementing a set of communication services for facilitating establishment of the voice call to the PSTN extension, and an execution unit, coupled to the storage medium, for executing the plurality of programming instructions. The set of communication services include services for receiving a Push-To-Talk™ request from the networked client computer, requesting the voice call, and in response, determining the PSTN extension. The Push-To-Talk™ request includes identification information of an originating web server of the Push-To-Talk™ option, and the determination of the PSTN extension is made in accordance with the originating web server's identification information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Mojtaba Mirashrafi, John D. Elliott, Michael F. Buondonno, Kenneth L. Keeler, Keith A. Pirkl, Al J. Simon, George L. Taylor, Mark D. Zuber, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle
  • Publication number: 20040030916
    Abstract: A system includes a sending client equipped to deliver a message notification including recipient input facilities for soliciting pre-delivery information from the recipient, and a server to dynamically determine at least a portion of the message to be delivered based to be delivered to the recipient based at least in part upon the pre-delivery information received from the recipient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Murali M. Karamchedu, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle, James Aloysius Russell
  • Publication number: 20040030893
    Abstract: A system includes a server to store a first portion of a message, and a client to store a complementary second portion of the message. The first portion of the message is encrypted and a message specific token comprising one or more encryption keys used to encrypt the first portion of the message is generated. The second portion of the message stored on the client is subsequently combined with the message-specific token to form a partially secured message at the client. Furthermore, the partially secured message including the message-specific token is delivered from the client to a recipient to facilitate access to both the first and second portions of the message by the recipient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Murali M. Karamchedu, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle, Luis Fernando Machuca
  • Publication number: 20040030917
    Abstract: A system includes a server equipped to generate a split encryption key having at least a first key portion and a second key portion, that is used by the server to encrypt at least a portion of a message. Additionally, the first key portion of the split encryption key is retained by the server, while the second key portion of the split encryption key is delivered to a sending client and is discarded from the server. The sending client in turn provides the second key portion to one or more recipients of the message to facilitate recipient access to the message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Murali M. Karamchedu, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle
  • Publication number: 20040030918
    Abstract: An enterprise-based system includes a storage server equipped to generate a split encryption key having at least a first key portion and a second key portion, that is used by the storage server to encrypt at least a portion of a message. Additionally, the first key portion of the split encryption key is retained by the storage server, while the second key portion of the split encryption key is delivered to a message routing server and is discarded from the storage server. The message routing server in turn provides the second key portion to one or more recipients of the message to facilitate recipient access to the message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Murali M. Karamchedu, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle
  • Patent number: 6661878
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for establishing a voice call to a PSTN extension for a networked client computer, and routing the voice call off of the network, is provided. In a first embodiment, the apparatus comprises a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions for implementing a set of communication services for facilitating establishment of the voice call to the PSTN extension, and an execution unit, coupled to the storage medium, for executing the plurality of programming instructions. The set of communication services include services for receiving a Push-To-Talk™ request from the networked client computer, requesting the voice call, and in response, determining the PSTN extension. The Push-To-Talk™ request includes identification information of an originating web server of the Push-To-Talk™ option, and the determination of the PSTN extension is made in accordance with the originating web server's identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: ITXC, Inc.
    Inventors: Mojtaba Mirashrafi, John D. Elliott, Michael F. Buondonno, Kenneth L. Keeler, Keith A. Pirkl, Al J. Simon, George L. Taylor, Mark D. Zuber, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle
  • Patent number: 6628760
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for establishing a voice call to a PSTN extension on behalf of a networked client computer, and routing the voice call off of the network, is provided. In a first embodiment, the apparatus comprises a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions for implementing a set of communication services for facilitating establishment of the voice call to the PSTN extension, and an execution unit, coupled to the storage medium, for executing the plurality of programming instructions. The set of communication services include services for soliciting inputs from one or more other apparatuses on one or more operating characteristics associated with the establishment and support of the voice call to the PSTN extension, and selecting one of the solicited apparatuses to place the voice call to the PSTN extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: ITXC Inc.
    Inventors: Mojtaba Mirashrafi, John D. Elliott, Michael F. Buondonno, Kenneth L. Keeler, Keith A. Pirkl, Al J. Simon, George L. Taylor, Mark D. Zuber, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle
  • Publication number: 20020071426
    Abstract: A system is described including services for generating an electronic offer to participate in a voice communication session with a destination party, with the offer being contingent upon the satisfaction of a set of one or more offeror-stipulated conditions. The system further including services for receiving an indication from an offeree via a data network indicating acceptance of the offer and establishing the voice communication session between the offeree and the destination party in conformance with at least a subset of the one or more offeror-stipulated conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Murali Karamchedu, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle
  • Publication number: 20020042826
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for establishing and facilitating a voice call connection from a client computer to a PSTN extension includes incorporating offers to participate in a voice communication session into a call invitation list providing convenient and persistent access to such offers for present and/or future acceptance by a user of the client computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Gaus, Murali Karamechdu, John R. Kadinger, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle
  • Patent number: 6310941
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions and an execution unit is presented. The execution unit, coupled to the storage medium, executes the plurality of programming instructions to implement a hierarchy of collaboration services enabling collaboration between a client computer and a collaboration partner, including a service to determine the system attributes of the client computer and to select an appropriate collaboration service from the hierarchy of collaboration services commensurate with the determined system attributes of the client computer and enabling a collaboration session between the client computer and the collaboration partner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: ITXC, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Crutcher, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle, Al J. Simon, Jason L. Cassezza, Mojtaba Mirashrafi, Kenneth L. Keeler, Ajit B. Pendse
  • Patent number: 6304637
    Abstract: An apparatus is comprised of a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions for implementing a set of communication services for establishing and supporting a direct quality voice call to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) extension, and an execution unit, coupled to the storage medium, for executing the plurality of programming instructions. In particular, the set of communication services include services for establishing and facilitating the voice call to the PSTN extension on behalf of the client computer, and services for causing a direct connection to be established between the client computer and the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: ITXC, Inc.
    Inventors: Mojtaba Mirashrafi, Ken Pawlak, John D. Elliott, Michael F. Buondonno, Kenneth L. Keeler, Keith A Pirkl, Al J. Simon, George L. Taylor, Mark D. Zuber, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle
  • Publication number: 20010012357
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for establishing a voice call to a PSTN extension for a networked client computer, and routing the voice call off of the network, is provided. In a first embodiment, the apparatus comprises a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions for implementing a set of communication services for facilitating establishment of the voice call to the PSTN extension, and an execution unit, coupled to the storage medium, for executing the plurality of programming instructions. The set of communication services include services for receiving a Push-To-Talk™ request from the networked client computer, requesting the voice call, and in response, determining the PSTN extension. The Push-To-Talk™ request includes identification information of an originating web server of the Push-To-Talk™ option, and the determination of the PSTN extension is made in accordance with the originating web server's identification information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Inventors: Mojtaba Mirashrafi, John D. Elliott, Michael F. Buondonno, Kenneth L. Keeler, Keith A. Pirkl, Al J. Simon, George L. Taylor, Mark D. Zuber, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle
  • Patent number: 6144670
    Abstract: An apparatus for establishing a voice call to a PSTN extension for a networked client computer, and routing the voice call off of the network, is provided. In a first embodiment, the apparatus comprises a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions coupled to an execution unit to execute the plurality of programming instructions to implement a set of communication services facilitating the establishment of the voice call to the PSTN extension. The set of communication services include services for receiving a request from the networked client computer requesting the voice call, determining the PSTN extension and controlling a computer telephony interface to route the voice call from the packet switched network to the PSTN extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: eFusion, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Sponaugle, Paul D. Crutcher, Al J. Simon, Jason T. Cassezza, Mojtaba Mirashrafi, Kenneth L. Keeler, Ajit B. Pendse
  • Patent number: 6026087
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for establishing a voice call to a PSTN extension for a networked client computer, and routing the voice call off of the network, is provided. In a first embodiment, the apparatus comprises a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions for implementing a set of communication services for facilitating establishment of the voice call to the PSTN extension, and an execution unit, coupled to the storage medium, for executing the plurality of programming instructions. The set of communication services include services for receiving a Push-To-Talk.TM. request from the networked client computer, requesting the voice call, and in response, determining the PSTN extension. The Push-To-Talk.TM. request includes identification information of an originating web server of the Push-To-Talk.TM. option, and the determination of the PSTN extension is made in accordance with the originating web server's identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: eFusion, Inc.
    Inventors: Mojtaba Mirashrafi, John D. Elliott, Michael F. Buondonno, Kenneth L. Keeler, Keith A. Pirkl, Al J. Simon, George L. Taylor, Mark D. Zuber, Jeffrey B. Sponaugle