Patents by Inventor Kenneth R. Steele

Kenneth R. Steele 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: 9763033
    Abstract: A method of organizing components of a mobile communication device. The method comprises orienting a radio frequency identity chip of the mobile communication device relative to a general purpose near field communication transceiver of the mobile communication device, locating the radio frequency identity chip in a null region of an electromagnetic field radiated by the general purpose near field communication transceiver, whereby, the null region of the electromagnetic field may be below a threshold required to activate the radio frequency identity chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Cordes, Clinton H. Loman, Lyle W. Paczkowski, Kenneth R. Steele
  • Patent number: 9712999
    Abstract: A method of managing a lifecycle of a mobile communication device. The method comprises storing a biographical digest in a radio frequency identity chip of the mobile communication device at the time of manufacture of the communication device, wherein the biographical digest comprises information about the device and comprises a static portion and a dynamic portion. The method further comprises activating the device for wireless communication service; after activating the device, deactivating the device for wireless communication service; and after deactivating the device, writing a device status of the dynamic portion of the biographical digest in the radio frequency identity chip of the device to a value of dead, whereby the device is prevented from being activated for wireless communication service after once having the device status of the dynamic portion of the biographical digest in the radio frequency identity chip of the device written to the dead value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Cordes, Clinton H. Loman, Brian D. Mantel, Lyle W. Paczkowski, Kenneth R. Steele
  • Patent number: 9591434
    Abstract: A user equipment (UE). The UE comprises a motherboard comprising a communication bus, a cellular radio frequency transceiver, a processor, a radio frequency identity (RFID) chip, and a memory storing an application. The RFID chip is connected to the communication bus and comprises an RFID near field communication (NFC) transceiver, an RFID internal processor, an RFID internal memory, and an RFID application. When executed by the processor, the application receives a request from the RFID chip to establish a virtual private network (VPN) tunnel via the cellular radio frequency transceiver based on information encapsulated in the request. The RFID application, when executed by the RFID internal processor, receives a message from an NFC device comprising a command to open the VPN tunnel and sends the request to establish the VPN tunnel to the application executed on the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Cordes, Clint H. Loman, Lyle W. Paczkowski, Kenneth R. Steele
  • Patent number: 9521529
    Abstract: A mobile communication device. The mobile communication device comprises a long-range radio transceiver, a processor, a memory, an input device, and an application, stored in the memory. When executed by the processor the application receives input from the input device, wherein the input comprises text symbols having an initial format and at least one specialty code, creates a short message comprising the text symbols formatted in a transmission format based on a formatting command identified by the at least one specialty code, wherein the transmission format is different from the initial format, and transmits the short message via the long-range radio transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Scott M. Dunn, Kari A. Galliart, Kenneth R. Steele, Louis E. Wingo
  • Patent number: 9460573
    Abstract: A radio frequency identity (RFID) tag. The tag comprises a processor, a memory, wherein the memory stores private information and public information, and a radio transceiver configured to receive a request for information from an RFID reader and to transmit a reply to the request for information. The tag further comprises an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, parses a request for information from the RFID reader received by the radio transceiver, and determines whether the RFID reader is authorized to receive the private information. When the RFID reader is determined to be authorized, the application reads the private information from the memory and sends the private information to the radio transceiver to transmit; when the RFID reader is determined to not be authorized, the application reads the public information and sends the public information to the radio transceiver to transmit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Cordes, Clinton H. Loman, Lyle W. Paczkowski, Kenneth R. Steele
  • Patent number: 9454723
    Abstract: A radio frequency identity (RFID) chip. The RFID chip comprises an antenna to receive and transmit information signals and to receive power radiated by a radio frequency power source, an electrical power induction component coupled to the antenna, a radio transceiver coupled to the antenna, a memory, a connector that is configured for connecting the RFID chip into a communication bus of a circuit board and to a battery derived source of power provided by the circuit board, and a processor coupled to the connector, the memory, and the radio transceiver, wherein the processor is configured to read from the memory and to provide the information read from the memory to the radio transceiver for transmitting and to read from the connector and write the information read from the connector to the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Cordes, Clinton H. Loman, Brian D. Mantel, Lyle W. Paczkowski, Kenneth R. Steele
  • Patent number: 9426604
    Abstract: A method of organizing components of a mobile communication device. The method comprises orienting a radio frequency identity chip of the mobile communication device relative to a general purpose near field communication transceiver of the mobile communication device, locating the radio frequency identity chip in a null region of an electromagnetic field radiated by the general purpose near field communication transceiver, whereby, the null region of the electromagnetic field may be below a threshold required to activate the radio frequency identity chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Cordes, Clinton H. Loman, Lyle W. Paczkowski, Kenneth R. Steele
  • Patent number: 9396424
    Abstract: A mobile communication device. The mobile communication device comprises a motherboard comprising a communication bus, a cellular radio frequency transceiver connected to the communication bus, a plurality of antennas, at least one of the antennas communicatively coupled to the cellular radio frequency transceiver, and a processor connected to the communication bus. The mobile communication device further comprises a radio frequency identity (RFID) chip connected to the communication bus, wherein the RFID chip comprises a memory, provides wireless read access to the memory, and provides write access to the memory to the communication bus. The mobile communication device further comprises an antenna switch to selectably couple at least one of the antennas to the RFID chip and an application that selects the antenna switch to couple one of the antennas to the RFID chip based on a state of the mobile communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Clinton H. Loman, Douglas A. Olding, Lyle W. Paczkowski, Kenneth R. Steele
  • Patent number: 9324016
    Abstract: A method of managing a lifecycle of a mobile communication device. The method comprises storing a biographical digest in a radio frequency identity chip of the mobile communication device at the time of manufacture of the communication device, wherein the biographical digest comprises information about the device and comprises a static portion and a dynamic portion. The method further comprises activating the device for wireless communication service; after activating the device, deactivating the device for wireless communication service; and after deactivating the device, writing a device status of the dynamic portion of the biographical digest in the radio frequency identity chip of the device to a value of dead, whereby the device is prevented from being activated for wireless communication service after once having the device status of the dynamic portion of the biographical digest in the radio frequency identity chip of the device written to the dead value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Cordes, Clinton H. Loman, Brian D. Mantel, Lyle W. Paczkowski, Kenneth R. Steele
  • Patent number: 9171243
    Abstract: A method of maintaining a biographical digest of information stored in a radio frequency identity chip communicatively coupled to a motherboard of a mobile communication device. The method comprises determining and writing inception information to the radio frequency identity chip once and preventing later modification of the inception information by a biographical digest software layer stored in a memory of the mobile communication device and executed by a processor of the device. The method further comprises determining and writing current information to the radio frequency identity chip by the biographical digest software layer in response to triggering events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Cordes, Clinton H. Loman, Lyle W. Paczkowski, Kenneth R. Steele
  • Patent number: 8805330
    Abstract: A portable electronic device is provided. The portable electronic device comprises a processor, a memory, and a capturing application stored in the memory that, when executed on the portable electronic device, monitors a first voice telephone call with a first transmitting device. The portable electronic device also comprises records a telephone number spoken during the first voice telephone call. The portable electronic device also comprises sends a first message to the first transmitting device, the first message containing the telephone number and requesting confirmation of the telephone number. The portable electronic device comprises receives a second message from the first transmitting device, the second message confirming the telephone number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Brita A. Horton, Sanjay K. Sharma, Kenneth R. Steele
  • Patent number: 8566183
    Abstract: A method of auditing electronic device shipments is provided. The method comprises electronically reading a first serial number on an electronic device, a second serial number on a point-of-sale package containing the electronic device, and a third serial number stored in a memory of the electronic device; storing the first serial number, the second serial number, and a third serial number in a non-transitory memory separate from the electronic device; and automatically comparing the first serial number, the second serial number, and the third serial number. The method further comprises automatically reading from the memory of the electronic device a software version identity associated with software installed on the electronic device and automatically comparing the software version identity with an approved software version identity. The method further comprises, when any miscompare occurs, automatically presenting a notification of an error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Laura M. Bonar, Katrina E. Kruger, Sanjay K. Sharma, Kenneth R. Steele
  • Patent number: 8242917
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing and/or simulating weather related information, including temperature information are provided. Weather related data can be obtained from any convenient source. A temperature indication surface can be used to match a temperature value from the weather related data. Indications can also be provided regarding wind speed and general weather condition corresponding to the weather related data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Benjamin P. Blinn, Kenneth R. Steele, Sanjay K. Sharma, Brita A Horton
  • Patent number: 8190140
    Abstract: A method, system, and medium are provided for capturing an image of information on a device. The information is stored on the device. The device is reset, and information from the captured image is restored on the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Sanjay K. Sharma, Benjamin P. Blinn, Lois E. Fagan, Kenneth R. Steele