Patents by Inventor Kenneth W. Samson

Kenneth W. Samson 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: 8295811
    Abstract: A method of activating a mobile phone is provided. The method comprises scanning a code accessible from an exterior of a package by an electronic scanning device coupled to a first computer, the package containing the mobile phone and retrieving a plurality of information associated with the mobile phone from a data store based on the code, the retrieving performed by one of the first computer and a second computer. The method also comprises transmitting the plurality of information by the provisioning application to a wireless communication network to at least partly provision wireless communication service to the mobile phone, whereby the wireless communication network is triggered to activate the mobile phone, wherein the transmitting is performed by the same computer that retrieved the plurality of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Michael A. Gailloux, Jason F. Gall, Kenneth W. Samson
  • Patent number: 8270944
    Abstract: A method of informing a portable electronic device of a number of available pre-paid text messages, comprising billing a pre-paid subscriber account for a predetermined number of text messages to be sent by a portable electronic device; incrementing a first count by an application executing on a computer based on the predetermined number of text messages purchased; determining by the application a second count indicating a remaining balance of text messages based on how many text messages have been one of received and sent by the portable electronic device since billing the pre-paid subscriber account based on the first count; and sending by the application a message comprising the second count to the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Michael A. Gailloux, Kenneth W. Samson
  • Patent number: 8244290
    Abstract: Methods and computer-readable mediums for processing push-to-talk voice messages are provided. According to one method, a first mobile station receives a push-to-talk voice message from a second mobile station, determines that a data object is attached to the push-to-talk voice message, determines a type of the data object, and stores the data object in a PTT attachment queue of the first mobile station, based upon the determined type of the data object, which may be a picture, video data, audio data, e-mail, document, contact, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Nextel Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Gailloux, John Everson, Kenneth W. Samson, Jeffrey Dillon
  • Patent number: 8180386
    Abstract: A system is provided for promoting push-to-talk communication. An exchange component identifies a voice call between a first mobile device and a second mobile device. The exchange component determines whether the first mobile device selects to share a first push-to-talk contact identifier associated with the first mobile device with other mobile devices. If the first mobile device selects to share the first push-to-talk contact identifier, the component determines whether the second mobile device selects to share a second push-to-talk contact identifier associated with the second mobile device with other mobile devices. If the second mobile device selects to share the second push-to-talk contact identifier, the component communicates the second push-to-talk contact identifier to the first mobile device and the first push-to-talk contact identifier to the second mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Jason R. Delker, Michael A. Gailloux, Kenneth W. Samson