Patents by Inventor John F. Buford

John F. Buford 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).

  • Publication number: 20160018888
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide methods, systems, and computer readable storage media for indicating eye tracking information during a real-time communication session. In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving first eye tracking information captured by a first computing system operated by a first user during the communication session with a second computing system operated by a second user, wherein the first eye tracking information represents a first location on a display of the first computing system to where eyes of the first user are directed. The method further provides determining a second location on a display of the second computing system that corresponds to the first location and instructing the display of the second computing system to display a first indication of the second location in real-time with the communication session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventor: John F. Buford
  • Publication number: 20140372909
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for providing meeting roster awareness for participants in a conference. An example system configured to practice this method can first identify participants in a conference, and retrieve, from a source external to the conference, information describing relationships between the participants. Then the system can compute, based on the information, a relationship graph assigning a relationship strength for at least two of the participants. The system provides an indication of the relationship strength to one of the participants, such as providing an indication of relationships of which other participants are not aware. Sources external to the conference can include a social network, a communication history, an organizational chart, a directory, or group membership, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: John F. BUFORD, Kundan SINGH, Venkatesh KRISHNASWAMY
  • Patent number: 8752174
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for a honeypot addressing cyber threats enabled by convergence of data and communication services in an enterprise network. Suspicious incoming VoIP calls from the Internet to the enterprise network are intercepted and directed to a VoIP honeypot that acts as a network decoy and responds automatically during call sessions for the suspicious incoming VOIP calls while tracing the suspicious incoming VOIP calls. Suspicious outgoing VoIP calls from the enterprise network to the Internet are also intercepted and directed to the VoIP honeypot. Moreover, an unsolicited VoIP call is redirected to the VoIP honeypot when the unsolicited VoIP call has been received by a user agent in the enterprise network and a human user of the user agent confirms that the unsolicited VoIP call was unsolicited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: John F Buford, Venkatesh Krishnaswamy
  • Publication number: 20140114992
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for an awareness platform. The system can model, at a context engine, a context for a user, wherein the context is associated with an activity involving the user. Next, the system can analyze the activity to extract a keyword. The system can then generate a context-aware presentation based on the context and data gathered based on the keyword. The system can also present the context-aware presentation to a device associated with the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: John F. BUFORD, Mehmet BALASAYGUN, Venkatesh KRISHNASWAMY
  • Patent number: 8706888
    Abstract: A method of operating a communication system comprises registering a plurality of communication devices with a peer-to-peer network as a plurality of enterprise nodes using a plurality of network handles that identify positions in an enterprise hierarchy. The method further comprises receiving a request to establish a session with a participant node and an enterprise node of the plurality of enterprise nodes using a first network handle of the plurality of network handles that identifies a first position in the enterprise hierarchy. In response to the request, the method provides identifying a routing identifier associated with the enterprise node and exchanging user communications for the session with a communication device of the plurality of communication devices registered as the enterprise node using the routing identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Avaya, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Edward Baratz, Anthony Frank Bartolo, Jayesh Govindarajan, Anwar A. Siddiqui, John F. Buford, Vyankatesh Balaji Deshpande
  • Patent number: 8694475
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for situation-based management of natural and artificial systems using event correlation and a situation manager. Input is provided from multiple sources in the form of a collection of events. A first level of processing performs event correlation over the collection of events and infers new events and new qualities of events. A second level of processing manages situations based on the collection of events, where situations are recognized, maintained, and given a degree of confidence. Situations are periodically updated based on incoming events. The assertion of a situation may call for information from external sources, provide information for external sources, and provide control instructions to external sources. Given a current situation, past, and possible future situations are inferred. Additionally, a method and apparatus for bi-directional communication between the event correlator and situation manager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Altusys Corp.
    Inventors: Lundy M. Lewis, Gabriel Jakobson, John F Buford
  • Publication number: 20120331404
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for context-aware visualization, notification, aggregation, and formation in a multi-model collaboration space. The system first finds contextually related content from a multi-model collaboration space, wherein the multi-model collaboration space includes disjoint collaboration tools. The system then generates a unified content view of the multi-model collaboration space, wherein the unified content view presents the contextually related content from the multi-model collaboration space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Buford, Venkatesh Krishnaswamy
  • Patent number: 8316092
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically processing and responding to large volumes of customer requests regarding Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE) and other service disruptions. The process combines manual and automated steps, and includes routing, filtering, aggregating, validating, ticketing, custom and automated responses, tracking, analyzing, and closing each validated request. The process can be used by the Customer Support Center (CSC) of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to insure that all complaints are handled successfully, that promotion of complaints is done correctly, that legal aspects of certain criminal or fraud related incidents are handled correctly, and that portions of the processing of complaints are handled automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignees: Verizon Corporate Services Group Inc., Verizon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Bowie, John F. Buford, Xiaolan Huang
  • Patent number: 8300790
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for conference call session migration. The conference call session migration includes automatically configuring and establishing a target conference call session during a source conference call session; automatically converting session state and session history from a source format of the source conference call session to a target format of the target conference call session, and automatically connecting per-user clients to the target conference call session. For example, in response to a request from a session manger, the participants on the source conference call session are added to the target conference call session in order to add new media or other conferencing capabilities subject to network and server capabilities, user devices, user conferencing software, user location, user preferences, and policies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: John F Buford, Krishna Kishore Dhara, Venkatesh Krishnaswamy, Xiaotao Wu
  • Publication number: 20120167208
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for a honeypot addressing cyber threats enabled by convergence of data and communication services in an enterprise network. Suspicious incoming VoIP calls from the Internet to the enterprise network are intercepted and directed to a VoIP honeypot that acts as a network decoy and responds automatically during call sessions for the suspicious incoming VOIP calls while tracing the suspicious incoming VOIP calls. Suspicious outgoing VoIP calls from the enterprise network to the Internet are also intercepted and directed to the VoIP honeypot. Moreover, an unsolicited VoIP call is redirected to the VoIP honeypot when the unsolicited VoIP call has been received by a user agent in the enterprise network and a human user of the user agent confirms that the unsolicited VoIP call was unsolicited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Buford, Venkatesh Krishnaswamy
  • Publication number: 20120163577
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for conference call session migration. The conference call session migration includes automatically configuring and establishing a target conference call session during a source conference call session; automatically converting session state and session history from a source format of the source conference call session to a target format of the target conference call session, and automatically connecting per-user clients to the target conference call session. For example, in response to a request from a session manger, the participants on the source conference call session are added to the target conference call session in order to add new media or other conferencing capabilities subject to network and server capabilities, user devices, user conferencing software, user location, user preferences, and policies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: AVAYA INC.
    Inventors: JOHN F. BUFORD, KRISHNA K. DHARA, VENKATESH KRISHNASWAMY, XIAOTAO WU
  • Publication number: 20120110084
    Abstract: A method is employed in association with a communication session over a peer-to-peer network between a first node associated with a first session participant and a second node associated with a second session participant. In the method, identification information identifying the second session participant is received. Profile information descriptive of the second session participant is gathered using the identification information. The communication session is conducted using the profile information descriptive of the second session participant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: AVAYA INC.
    Inventors: Alan Edward Baratz, John F. Buford, Anthony Frank Bartolo, Jayesh Govindarajan, Anwar A. Siddiqui, Vyankatesh Balaji Deshpande
  • Publication number: 20120030289
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for communicating via a multi-model collaboration space. A system practicing the method first assigns a communication endpoint identifier to a multi-model collaboration space having at least one entity. The endpoint identifier can be a telephone, email address, IP address, or username, for example. The system receives an incoming communication addressed to the communication endpoint identifier, such as a telephone call or email, and transfers the incoming communication to at least one entity in the multi-model collaboration space. In one aspect, the multi-model collaboration space provides a shared persistent container where entities can perform collaboration activities. The entities can have unique identities. The entities can be humans and/or automated, non-human, system-owned entities. Entities can share their context-specific view of the multi-model collaboration space with other entities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: John F. BUFORD, Krishna K. Dhara, Mario Kolberg, Venkatesh Krishnaswamy, Xiaotao Wu
  • Publication number: 20110093599
    Abstract: A method of operating a communication system comprises registering a plurality of communication devices with a peer-to-peer network as a plurality of enterprise nodes using a plurality of network handles that identify positions in an enterprise hierarchy. The method further comprises receiving a request to establish a session with a participant node and an enterprise node of the plurality of enterprise nodes using a first network handle of the plurality of network handles that identifies a first position in the enterprise hierarchy. In response to the request, the method provides identifying a routing identifier associated with the enterprise node and exchanging user communications for the session with a communication device of the plurality of communication devices registered as the enterprise node using the routing identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Edward Baratz, Anthony Frank Bartolo, Jayesh Govindarajan, Anwar A. Siddiqui, John F. Buford, Vyankatesh Balaji Deshpande
  • Publication number: 20110093598
    Abstract: A method of operating a communication system comprises registering a first communication device with a peer-to-peer network as a first node associated with a first session participant and a first entity and registering a second communication device with the peer-to-peer network as a second node associated with a second session participant. The method further comprises initiating a communication session between the first node and the second node, transferring for display by the second communication device first persona information identifying the first session participant and the first entity, and exchanging user communications for the communication session between the first communication device and the second communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Edward Baratz, Anthony Frank Bartolo, Jayesh Govindarajan, Anwar A. Siddiqui, John F. Buford, Vyankatesh Balaji Deshpande
  • Publication number: 20110090901
    Abstract: A method of operating a communication system to establish communication sessions between an origination network and a peer-to-peer network comprises receiving session signaling to establish a session between an origination device in the origination network and a destination node in the peer-to-peer network, wherein the session signaling includes a participant identifier associated with the origination device. The method further comprises processing the participant identifier to determine if persona information that identifies an originating participant and an entity associated with the originating participant is available for display by a destination device registered as the destination node on the peer-to-peer network and, if the persona information is available, transferring the persona information for delivery to and display by the destination device to a destination participant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Edward Baratz, Anthony Frank Bartolo, Jayesh Govindarajan, Anwar A. Siddiqui, John F. Buford, Vyankatesh Balaji Deshpande
  • Patent number: 7788109
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for situation-based management of natural and artificial systems using event correlation and a situation manager. Input is provided from multiple sources in the form of a collection of events. A first level of processing performs event correlation over the collection of events and infers new events and new qualities of events. A second level of processing manages situations based on the collection of events, where situations are recognized, maintained, and given a degree of confidence. Situations are periodically updated based on incoming events. The assertion of a situation may call for information from external sources, provide information for external sources, and provide control instructions to external sources. Given a current situation, past, and possible future situations are inferred. Additionally, a method and apparatus for bi-directional communication between the event correlator and situation manager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Altusys Corp.
    Inventors: Gabriel Jakobson, Lundy M. Lewis, John F. Buford
  • Publication number: 20090106065
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically processing and responding to large volumes of customer requests regarding Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE) and other service disruptions. The process combines manual and automated steps, and includes routing, filtering, aggregating, validating, ticketing, custom and automated responses, tracking, analyzing, and closing each validated request. The process can be used by the Customer Support Center (CSC) of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to insure that all complaints are handled successfully, that promotion of complaints is done correctly, that legal aspects of certain criminal or fraud related incidents are handled correctly, and that portions of the processing of complaints are handled automatically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventors: David J. Bowie, John F. Buford, Xiaolan Huang
  • Patent number: 7493366
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically processing and responding to large volumes of customer requests regarding Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE) and other service disruptions. The process combines manual and automated steps, and includes routing, filtering, aggregating, validating, ticketing, custom and automated responses, tracking, analyzing, and closing each validated request. The process can be used by the Customer Support Center (CSC) of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to insure that all complaints are handled successfully, that promotion of complaints is done correctly, that legal aspects of certain criminal or fraud related incidents are handled correctly, and that portions of the processing of complaints are handled automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Verizon Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Bowie, John F. Buford, Xiaolan Huang
  • Patent number: 7103599
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically processing and responding to large volumes of customer complaints regarding Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE) and other service disruptions. The complaints include one or more electronic mail (email) documents, each email document including a header and body portion. The process parses the header and body portions from each email document, normalizes the header and body portion by stripping unwanted characters, and extracts specific information relating to the email document from the source of the complaint. The extracted information can be input to a database that can be accessed by the Customer Support Center (CSC) of the Internet Service Provider (ISP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Buford, Xiaolan Huang