Patents by Inventor Merle L. Walker

Merle L. Walker 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: 12088953
    Abstract: A method to generate a contact list may include receiving an identifier of a first communication device at a captioning system. The first communication device may be configured to provide first audio data to a second communication device. The second communication device may be configured to receive first text data of the first audio data from the captioning system. The method may further include receiving and storing contact data from each of multiple communication devices at the captioning system. The method may further include selecting the contact data from the multiple communication devices that include the identifier of the first communication device as selected contact data and generating a contact list based on the selected contact data. The method may also include sending the contact list to the first communication device to provide the contact list as contacts for presentation on an electronic display of the first communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Sorenson IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Shane Roylance, Kenneth Boehme, Pat Nola, Merle L. Walker, III
  • Publication number: 20230123771
    Abstract: A method to generate a contact list may include receiving an identifier of a first communication device at a captioning system. The first communication device may be configured to provide first audio data to a second communication device. The second communication device may be configured to receive first text data of the first audio data from the captioning system. The method may further include receiving and storing contact data from each of multiple communication devices at the captioning system. The method may further include selecting the contact data from the multiple communication devices that include the identifier of the first communication device as selected contact data and generating a contact list based on the selected contact data. The method may also include sending the contact list to the first communication device to provide the contact list as contacts for presentation on an electronic display of the first communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Shane Roylance, Kenneth Boehme, Pat Nola, Merle L. Walker, III
  • Patent number: 11509838
    Abstract: A method to generate a contact list may include receiving an identifier of a first communication device at a captioning system. The first communication device may be configured to provide first audio data to a second communication device. The second communication device may be configured to receive first text data of the first audio data from the captioning system. The method may further include receiving and storing contact data from each of multiple communication devices at the captioning system. The method may further include selecting the contact data from the multiple communication devices that include the identifier of the first communication device as selected contact data and generating a contact list based on the selected contact data. The method may also include sending the contact list to the first communication device to provide the contact list as contacts for presentation on an electronic display of the first communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Sorenson IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Shane Roylance, Kenneth Boehme, Pat Nola, Merle L. Walker, III
  • Publication number: 20210211587
    Abstract: A method to generate a contact list may include receiving an identifier of a first communication device at a captioning system. The first communication device may be configured to provide first audio data to a second communication device. The second communication device may be configured to receive first text data of the first audio data from the captioning system. The method may further include receiving and storing contact data from each of multiple communication devices at the captioning system. The method may further include selecting the contact data from the multiple communication devices that include the identifier of the first communication device as selected contact data and generating a contact list based on the selected contact data. The method may also include sending the contact list to the first communication device to provide the contact list as contacts for presentation on an electronic display of the first communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Shane Roylance, Kenneth Boehme, Pat Nola, Merle L. Walker, III
  • Patent number: 10972683
    Abstract: A method to generate a contact list may include receiving an identifier of a first communication device at a captioning system. The first communication device may be configured to provide first audio data to a second communication device. The second communication device may be configured to receive first text data of the first audio data from the captioning system. The method may further include receiving and storing contact data from each of multiple communication devices at the captioning system. The method may further include selecting the contact data from the multiple communication devices that include the identifier of the first communication device as selected contact data and generating a contact list based on the selected contact data. The method may also include sending the contact list to the first communication device to provide the contact list as contacts for presentation on an electronic display of the first communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Sorenson IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Shane Roylance, Kenneth Boehme, Pat Nola, Merle L. Walker, III
  • Patent number: 10320975
    Abstract: A group routing server, communication devices, and related methods are described. The group routing server may comprise a processor operably coupled with communication elements and memory, and be configured to determine a destination communication device from among a plurality of communication devices to which an incoming call is to be routed, determine whether an assistive communication service is needed for providing interpretive services based, at least in part, on differing communication abilities between a far-end user associated with a far-end communication device initiating the incoming call and a near-end user associated with the destination communication device, route the incoming call to the assistive communication service according to the routing rules if the assistive communication device is determined to be needed, and route the incoming call directly to the communication service according to the routing rules if the assistive communication device is not determined to be needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: SORENSON IP HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Michael Hamling, Brett Thelin, Scot L. Brooksby, Merle L. Walker
  • Publication number: 20180352173
    Abstract: A method to generate a contact list may include receiving an identifier of a first communication device at a captioning system. The first communication device may be configured to provide first audio data to a second communication device. The second communication device may be configured to receive first text data of the first audio data from the captioning system. The method may further include receiving and storing contact data from each of multiple communication devices at the captioning system. The method may further include selecting the contact data from the multiple communication devices that include the identifier of the first communication device as selected contact data and generating a contact list based on the selected contact data. The method may also include sending the contact list to the first communication device to provide the contact list as contacts for presentation on an electronic display of the first communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Shane Roylance, Kenneth Boehme, Pat Nola, Merle L. Walker, III
  • Patent number: 10082934
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and methods for presenting a change contact entries option to a user of a first communication device, and causing a contact entry corresponding to the first communication device to be replaced with a contact entry corresponding to a user group to which the first communication device belongs. The first communication device is configured to communicate with one or more servers responsive to being addressed both with a first unique identifier assigned thereto and a first group unique identifier assigned thereto as a member of the user group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Sorenson IP Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Merle L. Walker, Adam Montero
  • Patent number: 9946842
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are disclosed for establishing a communication channel between a computer device associated with a hearing-care professional and various devices associated with a communication service provider for providing services to hearing-impaired users. The computer device associated with the hearing-care professional may be configured to generate at least one of a professional certification form and audiogram data through its associated software tools to the various devices associated with the communication service provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Sorenson IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Stringham, Cameron Tingey, James Rollins, Merle L. Walker, Shane Roylance, Michael Sorokine, Kenneth Boehme
  • Publication number: 20170155762
    Abstract: A group routing server, communication devices, and related methods are described. The group routing server may comprise a processor operably coupled with communication elements and memory, and be configured to determine a destination communication device from among a plurality of communication devices to which an incoming call is to be routed, determine whether an assistive communication service is needed for providing interpretive services based, at least in part, on differing communication abilities between a far-end user associated with a far-end communication device initiating the incoming call and a near-end user associated with the destination communication device, route the incoming call to the assistive communication service according to the routing rules if the assistive communication device is determined to be needed, and route the incoming call directly to the communication service according to the routing rules if the assistive communication device is not determined to be needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Hamling, Brett Thelin, Scot L. Brooksby, Merle L. Walker
  • Patent number: 9661146
    Abstract: Described are systems and methods for operating a plurality of communication devices configured to be associated with a user group. Each communication device of the plurality of communication devices may be configured to communicate with one or more servers both as an individual communication device with an individual unique identifier assigned thereto and as the user group with a group unique identifier assigned thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: SORENSON IP HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Jesse Leigh Parent, Richard Shields, Scot L. Brooksby, Merle L. Walker, Lane Walters, Jason Andersen
  • Patent number: D792362
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SORENSON IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Conrad Arlo Maxwell, Eric V. Winsor, Mark D. Nelson, Merle L. Walker, Brent Carlen Giles, Elie Mathias Monge, Sean Patrick Murphy, Shannon Colleen Fong, Alice Viola Pintus, Thomas Mitchell Dair
  • Patent number: D792867
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: SORENSON IP HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Conrad Arlo Maxwell, Eric V. Winsor, Mark D. Nelson, Merle L. Walker, Brent Carlen Giles, Elie Mathias Monge, Sean Patrick Murphy, Shannon Collleen Fong, Alice Viola Pintus, Thomas Mitchell Dair
  • Patent number: D797775
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: SORENSON IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Merle L. Walker, David Frye, Lane Walters
  • Patent number: D798327
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: SORENSON IP HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Merle L. Walker, David Frye, Lane Walters
  • Patent number: D798328
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: SORENSON IP HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Merle L. Walker, David Frye, Lane Walters
  • Patent number: D798329
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: SORENSON IP HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Merle L. Walker, David Frye, Lane Walters
  • Patent number: D799529
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Sorenson IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Christian Lalor, Merle L. Walker, III
  • Patent number: D802618
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Sorenson IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Merle L. Walker, Michael Warner, Nicholas Pakidko
  • Patent number: D815136
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SORENSON IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Merle L. Walker, David Frye, Lane Walters