Patents by Inventor Michael L. Poffenberger

Michael L. Poffenberger 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: 8954088
    Abstract: Location-based person and object monitoring are provided. The location of a person or object may be monitored by associating a device with the person or object that is operative to send location information for the monitored person or object to a receiving station for establishing precise geo-location data for the monitored person or object. The geo-location information for the monitored person or object may be passed to a television services system for generating and displaying on a viewable television channel mapping information showing the location of the monitored person or object. A television channel may be designated for each monitored person or object. If the monitored person or object moves out of a prescribed monitoring range, a television channel showing the mapping information may be automatically displayed to replace a presently viewed television channel for alerting a monitoring person as to the whereabouts of the monitored person or object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas David Gravino, Radhakrishnan Gopinath, Michael L. Poffenberger
  • Patent number: 8909205
    Abstract: An indication of an activated call forwarding feature is provided for a mobile telephone/computing device. When a call forwarding feature is activated, an indication may be presented on the device to indicate the call forwarding feature is currently active. The indication may be visual, audible or tactile. The indication serves as a reminder to the user of the device that the call forwarding feature is active. The indication may be presented on the device continuously until the user deactivates the feature, or the indication may be presented only when incoming calls are actually forwarded. Selectable functions may be enabled on the device for changing the call forwarding activation state and for overriding call forwarding for an in-progress forwarding call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Lawrence Davis, Douglas David Gravino, Radhakrishnan Gopinath, Michael L. Poffenberger
  • Patent number: 8606240
    Abstract: Hybrid communications voicemail systems and methods are disclosed. A wireline telephone number may be operatively associated with a wireless telephone voicemail box such that calls placed to the wireline telephone number and subsequently routed to voicemail may be routed to the wireless telephone voicemail box. Thus, the user of both wireline and wireless telephones may check voicemail messages at a single wireless voicemail box. Parents or supervisors may check voicemail messages or converted text messages deposited for children or employees at the single wireless voicemail box. A wireless telephone user may allow calls to be routed to his/her wireless telephone from his/her wireline telephone if he/she cannot be reached at the wireline telephone or as designated by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas David Gravino, Radhakrishnan Gopinath, Michael L. Poffenberger
  • Patent number: 8457602
    Abstract: Hybrid communications voicemail systems and methods are disclosed. A wireline telephone number may be operatively associated with a wireless telephone voicemail box such that calls placed to the wireline telephone number and subsequently routed to voicemail may be routed to the wireless telephone voicemail box. Thus, the user of both wireline and wireless telephones may check voicemail messages at a single wireless voicemail box. Parents or supervisors may check voicemail messages or converted text messages deposited for children or employees at the single wireless voicemail box. A wireless telephone user may allow calls to be routed to his/her wireless telephone from his/her wireline telephone if he/she cannot be reached at the wireline telephone or as designated by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas David Gravino, Radhakrishnan Gopinath, Michael L. Poffenberger
  • Patent number: 8411834
    Abstract: Device-to-device call disposition is provided. When a call is received at a first telecommunications device, a determination may be made as to whether a second device has been designated to receive a notification of the inbound call and to allow for call disposition at the second device. At the second device, the user may be notified of the incoming call at the first device, and the user may be provided with a number of options for disposing of the incoming call. While the user is positioned at a location having a wireline or wireless communications device associated with the location, and the user receives a call on his/her personal wireless device, a call to the personal wireless device may be automatically routed to the wireline or wireless device associated with the user's location (e.g., home or office).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Radhakrishnan Gopinath, Douglas David Gravino, Michael L. Poffenberger
  • Publication number: 20120115444
    Abstract: Hybrid communications voicemail systems and methods are disclosed. A wireline telephone number may be operatively associated with a wireless telephone voicemail box such that calls placed to the wireline telephone number and subsequently routed to voicemail may be routed to the wireless telephone voicemail box. Thus, the user of both wireline and wireless telephones may check voicemail messages at a single wireless voicemail box. Parents or supervisors may check voicemail messages or converted text messages deposited for children or employees at the single wireless voicemail box. A wireless telephone user may allow calls to be routed to his/her wireless telephone from his/her wireline telephone if he/she cannot be reached at the wireline telephone or as designated by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas David Gravino, Radhakrishnan Gopinath, Michael L. Poffenberger
  • Publication number: 20120112877
    Abstract: Automated device/system setup based on user presence information is provided. When a user of one or more electronic devices or systems moves into the presence of the one or more devices or systems, detection or determination of the user's presence may be used to apply setup or settings changes to the one or more devices or systems. The user's presence relative to the one or more devices or systems may be detected according to a variety of means. A wireless device carried by the user may be detected by a wireless presence detector. Online/offline status of a user with respect to an Internet connection may be used to detect/determine presence of the user. Use of a wireline or wireless telephone, cable television set-top box or other device connected to a services provider may be used to determine presence information for the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas David Gravino, Gopinath Radhakrishnan, Michael L. Poffenberger
  • Publication number: 20120052851
    Abstract: An indication of an activated call forwarding feature is provided for a mobile telephone/computing device. When a call forwarding feature is activated, an indication may be presented on the device to indicate the call forwarding feature is currently active. The indication may be visual, audible or tactile. The indication serves as a reminder to the user of the device that the call forwarding feature is active. The indication may be presented on the device continuously until the user deactivates the feature, or the indication may be presented only when incoming calls are actually forwarded. Selectable functions may be enabled on the device for changing the call forwarding activation state and for overriding call forwarding for an in-progress forwarding call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Lawrence Davis, Douglas David Gravino, Radhakrishnan Gopinath, Michael L. Poffenberger
  • Publication number: 20110261942
    Abstract: Device-to-device call disposition is provided. When a call is received at a first telecommunications device, a determination may be made as to whether a second device has been designated to receive a notification of the inbound call and to allow for call disposition at the second device. At the second device, the user may be notified of the incoming call at the first device, and the user may be provided with a number of options for disposing of the incoming call. While the user is positioned at a location having a wireline or wireless communications device associated with the location, and the user receives a call on his/her personal wireless device, a call to the personal wireless device may be automatically routed to the wireline or wireless device associated with the user's location (e.g., home or office).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas David Gravino, Radhakrishnan Gopinath, Michael L. Poffenberger
  • Patent number: 7853496
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for maintaining building serviceability information for geographic locations. The disclosed systems and methods may include forming a future market in which the product developments lines are equated to stocks. Furthermore, the disclosed systems and methods may include determining participants in a trading session of the future market and setting rules governing how the trading session in the future market will operate. Moreover, the disclosed systems and methods may include opening the trading session for the participants, closing the trading session for trading and evaluating market session trends and participant purchases to determine the priority of a product line in relation to other product lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Cox Communication, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Poffenberger, Scott C. Hightower, Ray H. Starbird