Patents by Inventor Joseph G. Laura

Joseph G. Laura 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: 8127308
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for enabling events in a COBOL program, including maintaining, in a COBOL program, a index including a process identifier and an event associated with a child process. The method includes placing the child process in a wait state and signaling, by the COBOL program, the child process to run using the process identifier and the event associated with the child process. A system for coordinating processing in COBOL programs is also provided. The system includes a first COBOL program having a first routine for processing, a second COBOL program having a second routine for processing, and a module callable by the first and second COBOL programs. The module maintains a state sharable between the first and second COBOL programs to coordinate the processing of the first and second routines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Joseph G. Laura
  • Patent number: 8060467
    Abstract: A system and method for on-line management of account information by customers of a provider of goods or services. A web server receives billing information from a telecommunications service provider in a standardized XML-format readily suitable for viewing by the customers. The system further includes a tiered storage system for maintaining invoices of the customers. Recent invoices are maintained in an upper tier of the storage system where they are accessible to customers over the Internet. As the invoices age, an archival and retrieval application periodically transfers the invoices to an intermediate tier where they may only be accessed by the archival and retrieval application using an index maintained in the upper tier. Account receivable information is also available on-line through the web site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Joseph G. Laura
  • Patent number: 7921412
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring an application is provided. The system comprises a first module operable to read application values stored in a memory area by the application, a second module in communication with the first module and operable to request the first module to read the application values, the second module further operable to receive the application values from the first module, and a third module in communication with the second module, the third module operable to display the application values. A system for non-intrusively monitoring variables during operation of an application is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Joseph G. Laura
  • Patent number: 7865574
    Abstract: A system for processing data retrieved from an information service layer is provided. The system includes a requestor component to provide a request for data to the information service layer. A receiver component is operable to communicate with a client service of the information service layer to receive a response string from the information service layer. The response string includes data based on the request. An analysis component analyzes at least a portion of the response string. A writer component is operable to format the at least portion of the response string based upon a desired format. A method for processing data retrieved from the information service layer is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Joseph G. Laura, Chris R. Weaver
  • Patent number: 7720818
    Abstract: A system and method for on-line management of account information by customers of a provider of goods or services. A web server receives billing information from a telecommunications service provider in a standardized XML-format readily suitable for viewing by the customers. The system further includes a tiered storage system for maintaining invoices of the customers. Recent invoices are maintained in an upper tier of the storage system where they are accessible to customers over the Internet. As the invoices age, an archival and retrieval application periodically transfers the invoices to an intermediate tier where they may only be accessed by the archival and retrieval application using an index maintained in the upper tier. Account receivable information is also available on-line through the web site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Joseph G. Laura
  • Patent number: 7421705
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for enabling events in a COBOL program, including maintaining, in a COBOL program, a index including a process identifier and an event associated with a child process. The method includes placing the child process in a wait state and signaling, by the COBOL program, the child process to run using the process identifier and the event associated with the child process. A system for coordinating processing in COBOL programs is also provided. The system includes a first COBOL program having a first routine for processing, a second COBOL program having a second routine for processing, and a module callable by the first and second COBOL programs. The module maintains a state sharable between the first and second COBOL programs to coordinate the processing of the first and second routines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Joseph G. Laura
  • Patent number: 7386295
    Abstract: A communication billing system comprising a processing system coupled to an interface system. The processing system is configured to process a plurality of wireless service events from a wireless system together at the event level with a plurality of wireline service events from a wireline system to generate total charge records for a plurality of wireless services and a plurality of wireline services. The processing system is also configured to process the total charge records for the plurality of wireless services and the plurality of wireline services to generate a customer bill. The interface system is configured to receive the plurality of wireless service events from the wireless system, receive the plurality of wireline service events from the wireline system, and transmit the customer bill for the processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Kathleen E. Alloune, Jeffrey L. Benoist, Mark D. Carter, Robert W. Ganter, Gretchen L. Knapp, Joseph G. Laura, Mark S. McKee, Scott F. Mitchell, Charles A. Paelinck, Angela L. Seefeldt, James D. Williams
  • Patent number: 7349952
    Abstract: An information service layer for data retrieval is provided. The information service layer includes a control system having a registry and is operable to receive a request for data from a requester. The request includes a source identifier and a data identifier. A client service is operable to register with the control system and receive the request for data. The client service is further operable to communicate a requested data related to the data identifier to the requester. A retrieval service is operable to utilize at least a portion of the source identifier to retrieve the requested data related to the data identifier and communicate the requested data to the client service. A method for obtaining data using an information service layer is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Joseph G. Laura
  • Patent number: 7340735
    Abstract: A method for enabling COBOL programs for asynchronous and distributed processing is provided. The distributed processing method includes providing a technical layer for use by a COBOL program, the technical layer enabling a distributed processing module. The method includes providing a COBOL program and employing, by the COBOL program, the distributed processing module to enable the COBOL program to perform distributed processing. The COBOL program and the technical layer operate in the same runtime environment. A method for enabling COBOL programs for asynchronous processing is also provided. The method includes providing a technical layer for use by a COBOL program, the technical layer enabling an asynchronous processing module. The method includes providing a COBOL program and employing, by the COBOL program, the asynchronous processing module to enable the COBOL program to perform asynchronous processing. The COBOL program and the technical layer operating in the same runtime environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Joseph G. Laura
  • Patent number: 7340731
    Abstract: A method of sharing memory between COBOL programs is provided. The method includes maintaining, by a COBOL routine, an index of shared memory addresses, requesting, by a COBOL program, a shared memory block, and receiving to a linkage section of the COBOL program an address of the shared memory block from the COBOL routine. A method of enabling queues for COBOL programs is also provided. The method includes creating a queue using a memory space and providing an operating system having a key related to an address of the memory space. The method provides for maintaining the key in an index and communicating with the operating system to receive the address of the memory space based on the key. The method also provides for resolving the memory space to an operable portion of the COBOL program based on the key from the index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Joseph G. Laura
  • Patent number: 7069184
    Abstract: An application monitoring system is provided. The application monitoring system includes a monitor component to monitor statistics related to an application in operation. A reporting component is in communication with the monitor component and is operable to capture the statistics of the application in operation monitored by the monitor component. A trigger component analyzes the statistics of the application monitored by the monitor component and compares the statistics of the application with a threshold and generates a trigger signal based on the relationship of the statistics of the threshold. A dashboard component is operable to identify the application to monitor and provide an application threshold. A method of monitoring an application using an application monitoring system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Karl W. Barger, Gerald Michael Brennan, Kenneth Dale Durden, Joseph G. Laura, Chris R. Weaver
  • Publication number: 20030212634
    Abstract: A communication billing system comprising a processing system coupled to an interface system. The processing system is configured to process a plurality of wireless service events from a wireless system together at the event level with a plurality of wireline service events from a wireline system to generate total charge records for a plurality of wireless services and a plurality of wireline services. The processing system is also configured to process the total charge records for the plurality of wireless services and the plurality of wireline services to generate a customer bill. The interface system is configured to receive the plurality of wireless service events from the wireless system, receive the plurality of wireline service events from the wireline system, and transmit the customer bill for the processing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicant: SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Kathleen E. Alloune, Jeffrey L. Benoist, Mark D. Carter, Robert W. Ganter, Gretchen L. Knapp, Joseph G. Laura, Mark S. McKee, Scott F. Mitchell, Charles A. Paelinck, Angela L. Seefeldt, James D. Williams
  • Patent number: 6615034
    Abstract: A communication billing system comprising a processing system coupled to an interface system. The processing system is configured to process a plurality of wireless service events from a wireless system together at the event level with a plurality of wireline service events from a wireline system to generate total charge records for a plurality of wireless services and a plurality of wireline services. The processing system is also configured to process the total charge records for the plurality of wireless services and the plurality of wireline services to generate a customer bill. The interface system is configured to receive the plurality of wireless service events from the wireless system, receive the plurality of wireline service events from the wireline system, and transmit the customer bill for the processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Kathleen E. Alloune, Jeffrey L. Benoist, Mark D. Carter, Robert W. Ganter, Gretchen L. Knapp, Joseph G. Laura, Mark S. McKee, Scott F. Mitchell, Charles A. Paelinck, Angela L. Seefeldt, James D. Williams