Patents by Inventor Michael K. Bugenhagen

Michael K. Bugenhagen 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: 8099041
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating through a host repeater. Data is received from a remote repeater communicating with a wireless device. The host repeater registers as the wireless device on a wireless network. The data is reformatted for transmission between the wireless devices and the wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC
    Inventors: Michael K. Bugenhagen, Carl Milton Coppage
  • Publication number: 20110289578
    Abstract: A pin-hole firewall network communications device that includes a first port configured to communicate data packets over a packet network and a first counter module in communication with the first port. A pin-hole firewall module may be in communication with the first counter module. A call control module may be in communication with the first counter module and the pin-hole firewall function. The call control module is configured to communicate with the pin-hole firewall module to alter the communication of data packets through a firewall pin-hole. A second counter module may be in communication with the pin-hole firewall function and the call control module. A second port may in communication with the second counter module and the packet network and be configured to communicate data packets over a second node segment of the packet network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Michael K. Bugenhagen, William L. Wiley
  • Patent number: 8064881
    Abstract: A system and method for providing wireless services. One or more wireless identifiers are stored in an authentication space of a server associated with a wireless service provider. The authentication space is associated with an enterprise. A remote client is granted access to the authentication space to allow the enterprise to manage services associated with the one or more wireless identifiers. Managed service options associated with the one or more identifiers are selected. The managed service options are selected in response to receiving data from the remote client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company, LLC
    Inventor: Michael K. Bugenhagen
  • Patent number: 8040811
    Abstract: A system and method for collecting network performance information from a packet network. The method may include requesting network performance information from network communications devices on a packet network, collecting the network performance information from the network communications devices, where the network performance information is indicative of communications of real-time content and non-real-time content, and storing the network performance information in a configuration distinguishing the network performance information indicative of communications of real-time content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: EMBARQ Holdings Company, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen K. Edwards, Robert J. Morrill, Michael K. Bugenhagen
  • Publication number: 20110222405
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a state of a network service. Frames per second at an interface are measured to determine congestion. An effective throughput at the interface is measured to determine the congestion. An average packet size for a number of frames communicated through the interface is determined. The state for the network service is determined in response to the congestion and the average packet size. The state indicates whether the SLA is violated. A throughput rate communicated through the interface is adjusted in response to the state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventor: Michael K. Bugenhagen
  • Patent number: 8015294
    Abstract: A pin-hole firewall network communications device that includes a first port configured to communicate data packets over a packet network and a first counter module in communication with the first port. A pin-hole firewall module may be in communication with the first counter module. A call control module may be in communication with the first counter module and the pin-hole firewall function. A second counter module may be in communication with the pin-hole firewall function and the call control module. A second port may in communication with the second counter module and the packet network and be configured to communicate data packets over a second node segment of the packet network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company, LP
    Inventors: Michael K. Bugenhagen, William L. Wiley
  • Patent number: 8010101
    Abstract: A system and method for diagnosing RF attributes of signals communicated over a communication footprint including at least one base station configured to provide wireless communications to subscribers of a wireless carrier. Antennas may be fixedly positioned throughout a communications footprint of the base station(s), where the antennas are configured to receive signals from base station(s). At least one receiver may be in communication with the antennas configured to receive the signals from the base station(s) via the antennas. A computer system may be in communication with the receiver(s), where the computing system may be configured to receive RF attributes of signals received at respective antennas and measured by the receiver(s). A data repository may be in communication with the computing system and be configured to store data associated with each of the antennas and representative of RF attributes of the signals received by respective antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company, LLC
    Inventor: Michael K. Bugenhagen
  • Patent number: 8000318
    Abstract: A system and method that establishes a phone call over a packet network. The process may include receiving a call request from an originating call device on a packet network to call a terminating call device. A first transmission path may be determined between the originating and terminating call devices. Status of a terminating segment at a first terminating trunk may be determined and, if the status of the terminating segment at the first terminating trunk is within a first range, a call between the originating and terminating call device may be established via the first terminating call trunk. Otherwise, if the status of the terminating segment at the first terminating trunk is within a second range, a second transmission path via a second terminating trunk between the originating and terminating call devices may be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company, LLC
    Inventors: William L. Wiley, Michael K. Bugenhagen, Robert J. Morrill
  • Patent number: 7983189
    Abstract: A system and method for measuring compliance with a service level agreement for communications. A threshold is set for a core information rate and a user network interface core information rate operable to avoid contention. Frame loss is measured on a core network and legs of the network. A determination is made that the service loss agreement is noncompliant in response to determining there is frame loss and a user network interface core information rate has not been exceeded or the core committed information rate has not been exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company, LLC
    Inventor: Michael K. Bugenhagen
  • Patent number: 7978628
    Abstract: A system and method of determining bandwidth thresholds dynamically. Frames per second are measured at an interface. An effective throughput is measured at the interface. An average packet size is determined for a plurality of frames received at the interface. The average packet size being determined in response to the measured frames per second and the measured effective throughput. A threshold is determined for the effective throughput in response to the determined average packet size. A determination is made whether the effective throughput at the interface exceeds the threshold for the interface. A throughput rate communicated to the interface is adjusted in response to determining the effective throughput at the interface exceeds the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company, LLC
    Inventor: Michael K. Bugenhagen
  • Patent number: 7948909
    Abstract: A system and method for collecting network performance information from network communications devices may include requesting, from a network communications device operating on a packet network, a counter value generated from counting a network performance information parameter. The request may cause the counter value to be reset prior to overflowing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael K. Bugenhagen, Robert J. Morrill, William L. Wiley
  • Publication number: 20110116405
    Abstract: A system for method for adjusting radio frequency parameters. A network performance device includes a network performance function executed to monitor network performance between a wireless network device and a wireless packet network switch, determine whether at least one network performance value of the wireless network device exceeds one or more predetermined threshold values, and communicate an instruction to adjust the one or more RF parameters between the wireless network device and the wireless device in response to exceeding the one or more predetermined threshold values. An RF signal path is provided between the wireless network device and the wireless device. The network performance is concatenated into data packets communicated between the wireless network device and the wireless packet network switch utilizing a packet network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventors: Carl M. Coppage, Steven E. Kozisek, Robert J. Morrill, Michael K. Bugenhagen
  • Patent number: 7940912
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for call routing from a wired telephone switch. A virtual number may be registered with a database of the wired telephone switch for call routing. Outgoing calls are routed from a standard telephone utilizing the virtual number. The virtual number is unregistered to disable the call routing from the standard telephone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company, LLC
    Inventor: Michael K. Bugenhagen
  • Patent number: 7916742
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides for dynamically calibrating a jitter buffer based on a percentage used of the jitter buffer. Such a solution provides for efficiently adapting the size of a jitter buffer without the need for complex and processor intensive operations. By adjusting the size of a jitter buffer in a simple and dynamic fashion, undesirable delay can be removed from a service session, and gaps prevented. Similarly, delay can be easily introduced into a service session when necessary. In an embodiment of the invention, a communication system comprises a jitter buffer and a processing system. The jitter buffer is configured to buffer traffic. The processing system is configured to determine the percentage used of the jitter buffer by the buffered traffic, and calibrate the size of the jitter buffer in response to the percentage used of the jitter buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Michael K. Bugenhagen
  • Patent number: 7889660
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring performance of an asynchronous network may include communicating a first network performance data packet including a first indicia over an asynchronous network from a first network node to a second network node. A second network performance data packet including a second indicia may be communicated from the first network node to the second network node. At least one communications data packet may be communicated from the first network node to the second network node between communicating the first and second network performance data packets. At least one performance manager counter at the second network node may be incremented in response to receiving each communications data packet between the first and second network performance data packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company, LLC
    Inventor: Michael K. Bugenhagen
  • Patent number: 7890111
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for call routing from a wired telephone switch. A wireless device is registered with a database of the wired telephone switch. Incoming wireless calls destined for the wireless device are routed to a standard telephone. The wireless device is unregistered to disable the call routing to the standard telephone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company, LLC
    Inventor: Michael K. Bugenhagen
  • Publication number: 20110032821
    Abstract: A system and method routing content over a packet network. A call request is received at a call control manager to communicate data packets including real-time over a packet network. A determination is made of at least one network node through which a call path for a call is to be routed, the network performance information including real-time bandwidth usage and non-real time bandwidth usage. Network performance information associated with communications are accessed over the at least one network node. An automatic determination is made whether the at least one network node is impaired or congested. The real time bandwidth usage and the non-real time bandwidth usage is determined from the network performance information if the at least one network node is determined to be impaired or congested.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: Robert J. Morrill, William L. Wiley, Michael K. Bugenhagen
  • Patent number: 7881281
    Abstract: A communication network comprising a plurality of border controllers, a first packet voice network, a second packet voice network coupled to the first packet network by the plurality of border controllers, and a master border controller coupled to the plurality of border controllers and coupled to the first packet voice network and the second packet voice network. The master border controller, responsive to receiving a query from a switch in the first packet voice network for a call between the first and second packet voice networks, processes the query to determine a first border controller for the call of the plurality of border controllers, and transfers a response to the switch in the first packet network wherein the response indicates the first border controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Michael K. Bugenhagen, Matthew C. Schlesener
  • Publication number: 20110010585
    Abstract: A system and method for testing line state. Traffic through a communications path is determined. A test vector is generated. Attributes of the test vector simulate the traffic. The test vector is communicated to one or more end devices. Performance information for each of the attributes of the test vector is measured. A performance map utilizing the attributes and the performance information is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Michael K. Bugenhagen, Robert J. Morrill
  • Patent number: 7843831
    Abstract: A system and method for routing non-real-time content over a packet network. A call request to communicate data packets including non-real-time content over a packet network may be received. A determination of at least one network node over which a call path for a call to be established for the call request is to be routed may be made. Network performance information associated with communications over the network node(s) may be established. A determination as to whether the network node(s) are impaired or congested may be made and, if the network node(s) are determined to be impaired or congested, communications of the data packets including non-real-time content over the network node(s) may be altered. Otherwise, if the network node(s) are not determined to be impaired or congested, the call may be established on the network node(s). In one embodiment, a call control manager may manage the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC
    Inventors: Robert J. Morrill, William L. Wiley, Michael K. Bugenhagen