Patents by Inventor Lawrence E. Ertley

Lawrence E. Ertley 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).

  • Methods and systems for communicating with service technicians in a telecommunications system
    Patent number: 8150940
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for communicating with a technician at a customer service location in a telecommunications system. One method embodiment includes generating an electronic message in an administration system; transmitting the generated electronic message from the administration system through a technician server operatively associated with the administration system; and, displaying the generated electronic message on a screen display adapted for viewing with an access device of the technician at the customer service location. One system embodiment includes an administration system configured for generating at least one electronic message; a technician server operatively associated with the administration system; and, a screen display adapted for receiving and displaying the generated electronic message for viewing on an access device of the technician at the customer service location. Computer-readable media embodiments of the present methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: Steven G. Smith, Jessie Bert Hunt, Jr., Lawrence E. Ertley
  • Methods and Systems for Communicating with Service Technicians in a Telecommunications System
    Publication number: 20080120395
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for communicating with a technician at a customer service location in a telecommunications system. One method embodiment includes generating an electronic message in an administration system; transmitting the generated electronic message from the administration system through a technician server operatively associated with the administration system; and, displaying the generated electronic message on a screen display adapted for viewing with an access device of the technician at the customer service location. One system embodiment includes an administration system configured for generating at least one electronic message; a technician server operatively associated with the administration system; and, a screen display adapted for receiving and displaying the generated electronic message for viewing on an access device of the technician at the customer service location. Computer-readable media embodiments of the present methods are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Steven G. Smith, Jessie Bert Hunt, Lawrence E. Ertley
  • Methods and systems for communicating with service technicians in a telecommunications system
    Patent number: 7308482
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for communicating with a technician at a customer service location in a telecommunications system. One method embodiment includes generating an electronic message in an administration system; transmitting the generated electronic message from the administration system through a technician server operatively associated with the administration system; and, displaying the generated electronic message on a screen display adapted for viewing with an access device of the technician at the customer service location. One system embodiment includes an administration system configured for generating at least one electronic message; a technician server operatively associated with the administration system; and, a screen display adapted for receiving and displaying the generated electronic message for viewing on an access device of the technician at the customer service location. Computer-readable media embodiments of the present methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: AT&T BLS Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven G. Smith, Jessie Bert Hunt, Jr., Lawrence E. Ertley
  • Battery capacity indicator in a portable computing device
    Patent number: 7109876
    Abstract: Systems and methods for indicating the status of a battery in a portable computing device are disclosed. The methods include retrieving battery status data from a basic input-output system (BIOS) on the computing device, and comparing the retrieved battery status data to a predefined battery status threshold stored on the computing device. Based on the comparison of the battery status data to the predefined battery status threshold, a battery status indicator may be provided to an applications program on the computing device. The battery status data is reflective of a characteristic of the battery, such as battery capacity. A system according to the present invention includes a computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method according to the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventors: Steven G. Smith, Lawrence E. Ertley, Robert H. Willis, Jr., Curt Kaloustian, Roland T. Morton, Jr.
  • Battery voltage indicator in a portable computing device
    Patent number: 6879259
    Abstract: Systems and methods for indicating the status of a battery in a portable computing device are disclosed. The methods include retrieving battery status data from a basic input-output system (BIOS) on the computing device, and comparing the retrieved battery status data to a predefined battery status threshold stored on the computing device. Based on the comparison of the battery status data to the predefined battery status threshold, a battery status indicator may be provided to an applications program on the computing device. The battery status data is reflective of a characteristic of the battery, such as battery voltage. A system according to the present invention includes a computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method according to the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventors: Steven G. Smith, Lawrence E. Ertley, Robert H. Willis, Jr., Curt Kaloustian, Roland T. Morton, Jr.
  • Battery capacity indicator in a portable computing device
    Patent number: 6833792
    Abstract: Systems and methods for indicating the status of a battery in a portable computing device are disclosed. The methods include retrieving battery status data from a basic input-output system (BIOS) on the computing device, and comparing the retrieved battery status data to a predefined battery status threshold stored on the computing device. Based on the comparison of the battery status data to the predefined battery status threshold, a battery status indicator may be provided to an applications program on the computing device. The battery status data is reflective of a characteristic of the battery, such as battery capacity. A system according to the present invention includes a computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method according to the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventors: Steven G. Smith, Lawrence E. Ertley, Robert H. Willis, Jr., Curt Kaloustian, Roland T. Morton, Jr.
  • Methods and systems for communicating with service techinicians in a telecommunications system
    Publication number: 20030154253
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for communicating with a technician at a customer service location in a telecommunications system. One method embodiment includes generating an electronic message in an administration system; transmitting the generated electronic message from the administration system through a technician server operatively associated with the administration system; and, displaying the generated electronic message on a screen display adapted for viewing with an access device of the technician at the customer service location. One system embodiment includes an administration system configured for generating at least one electronic message; a technician server operatively associated with the administration system; and, a screen display adapted for receiving and displaying the generated electronic message for viewing on an access device of the technician at the customer service location. Computer-readable media embodiments of the present methods are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Steven G. Smith, Jessie Bert Hunt, Lawrence E. Ertley