Patents by Inventor Nicholas Alfano

Nicholas Alfano 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: 9720735
    Abstract: Communication devices capable of at least two communication modes (e.g. WLAN, WMAN and WWAN and/or wired modes) can be configured to optimize communications using a policy-based mechanism to configure connections and routes. A rules engine evaluates its policies on a state change (e.g. network availability, time of day, etc.) to configure a routing table and, together with communication APIs, provides an appropriate connection to an application for its respective communications. Policies may be responsive to various factors such as Radio Access Technology (high/low bandwidth), cost, presence, time of day, location, application type and quality of service (QoS) requirements among others to optimize communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Montemurro, Nicholas Alfano, John-Luc Bakker, Richard George, Brian Alexander Oliver
  • Patent number: 9537866
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to control the use of applications on handheld device is based on network service, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a network identifier; correlating the network identifier with application and/or feature limitations stored on the mobile device; and limiting application usage based on the results of such correlating step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Ian James McDonald, Brian Oliver, Alan Panezio, David Lloyd Heit, Nicholas Alfano, Gregory Scott Henderson, Douglas Gisby
  • Patent number: 9332403
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate the generation of calling lists for use in planning or setting up conference calls. The system may include a communications module and a contact database comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record corresponding to a different contact. Each contact record may include at least one contact address and at least one descriptor. For example, the descriptor may include a job title and/or expertise for the contact. The system may also include a selection module configured to select at least one of the contacts and also configured to compare the at least one descriptor to at least one qualifier criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Douglas Gisby, Christopher Labrador, Kevin Andrewin, Nicholas Alfano
  • Patent number: 9125030
    Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for communicating short message service content to a short message service center. The address of an IP-SM-GW (Internet Protocol-Short Message-Gateway) defined in the 3GPP TS 23.204 is provided to user equipment and used to address an SIP request that contains encapsulated SMS content. The address is stored at the mobile station at a storage element, such as at a SIM card, UICC, or management object. A SIP request generator accesses the storage element and uses the address as the address of the SIP request. The SIP request also includes SMS content, in encapsulation, therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Alfano, Andrew Allen
  • Publication number: 20150017960
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate the generation of calling lists for use in planning or setting up conference calls. The system may include a communications module and a contact database comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record corresponding to a different contact. Each contact record may include at least one contact address and at least one descriptor. For example, the descriptor may include a job title and/or expertise for the contact. The system may also include a selection module configured to select at least one of the contacts and also configured to compare the at least one descriptor to at least one qualifier criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Douglas GISBY, Christopher LABRADOR, Kevin ANDREWIN, Nicholas ALFANO
  • Patent number: 8867719
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate the generation of calling lists for use in planning or setting up conference calls. The system may include a communications module and a contact database comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record corresponding to a different contact. Each contact record may include at least one contact address and at least one descriptor. For example, the descriptor may include a job title and/or expertise for the contact. The system may also include a selection module configured to select at least one of the contacts and also configured to compare the at least one descriptor to at least one qualifier criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Douglas Gisby, Christopher Labrador, Kevin Andrewin, Nicholas Alfano
  • Patent number: 8849299
    Abstract: A method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless user equipment (UE) device includes determining a geographic area location where the wireless UE device is located and responsive to determining that a radio access technology (RAT) previously available in the geographic area location is not currently available, modifying the frequency of searches for the radio access technology. A corresponding wireless user device is also shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Alfano, Vytautas Kezys, Yiu Lam, Richard George, Brian Oliver, Mark Pletsch, Balaji Gopalan, Paul Carpenter
  • Patent number: 8825109
    Abstract: Communication devices capable of at least two communication modes (e.g. WLAN, WMAN and WWAN and/or wired modes) can be configured to optimize communications using a policy-based mechanism to configure connections and routes. A rules engine evaluates its policies on a state change (e.g. network availability, time of day, etc.) to configure a routing table and, together with communication APIs, provides an appropriate connection to an application for its respective communications. Policies may be responsive to various factors such as Radio Access Technology (high/low bandwidth), cost, presence, time of day, location, application type and quality of service (QoS) requirements among others to optimize communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Montemurro, Nicholas Alfano, John-Luc Bakker, Richard George, Brian Alexander Oliver
  • Patent number: 8549603
    Abstract: A method and system for addressing a unique device from an address book, the method having the steps of: receiving a message having a root token and a secondary token; checking whether the root token exists within the address book, if no, creating a record in the address book with the root and secondary token; and if yes, checking whether the secondary token exists within the address book, if yes, providing a representation of the unique device; and if no, storing the secondary token against the root token in the address book.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Adrian Buckley, Andrew Michael Allen, Young Ae Kim, Jan Hendrik Lucas Bakker, Nicholas Alfano, Barry Linkert, Gaelle Christine Martin-Cocher, Suresh Chitturi, Brian Edward Anthony McColgan
  • Patent number: 8401548
    Abstract: A method of scanning frequencies for registration onto a wireless service provider by a wireless device is provided. The inventive method comprises predefining a priority sequence of frequencies in association with each of a plurality of locations. Itinerary information is received and a current expected location of the device in real-time based is determined based on the itinerary information. The device then scans frequencies according to any priority sequence predefined for the current expected location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Thanh Vinh Vuong, Nicholas Alfano
  • Patent number: 8289886
    Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating transferring of a conference call. In some embodiments, users of a secure mobile device may be provided with the ability to transfer a media session for use in a conference call to a non-secure communication device. The method may include displaying a user interface on the primary communication device, the user interface including a transfer option, receiving a command selecting the transfer option, sending a transfer request from the primary communication device to the conference call controller to link an alternate communication device within the conference call session, and determining whether the transfer request requires authentication, and if so performing authentication of the transfer request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Ian McDonald, Douglas Michael Gisby, Brian Edward Anthony McColgan, Christopher Labrador, Nicholas Alfano
  • Publication number: 20120208515
    Abstract: A method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless user equipment (UE) device includes determining a geographic area location where the wireless UE device is located and responsive to determining that a radio access technology (RAT) previously available in the geographic area location is not currently available, modifying the frequency of searches for the radio access technology. A corresponding wireless user device is also shown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Nicholas Alfano, Vytautas Kezys, Yiu Lam, Richard George, Brian Oliver, Mark Pletsch, Balaji Gopalan, Paul Carpenter
  • Patent number: 8185103
    Abstract: A network node provides coverage information to wireless UE devices from a database that correlates coverage information for a radio access network with geographic area locations. The network node accepts updates to the coverage information for the radio access network via a first interface and downloads coverage information from the database to a wireless user equipment (UE) device via a second interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Alfano, Vytautas Kezys, Yiu Lam, Richard George, Brian Oliver, Mark Pletsch, Balaji Gopalan, Paul Carpenter
  • Publication number: 20120014327
    Abstract: Communication devices capable of at least two communication modes (e.g. WLAN, WMAN and WWAN and/or wired modes) can be configured to optimize communications using a policy-based mechanism to configure connections and routes. A rules engine evaluates its policies on a state change (e.g. network availability, time of day, etc.) to configure a routing table and, together with communication APIs, provides an appropriate connection to an application for its respective communications. Policies may be responsive to various factors such as Radio Access Technology (high/low bandwidth), cost, presence, time of day, location, application type and quality of service (QoS) requirements among others to optimize communications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Michael Montemurro, Nicholas Alfano, John-Luc Bakker, Richard George, Brian Alexander Oliver
  • Publication number: 20110223935
    Abstract: A network node provides coverage information to wireless UE devices from a database that correlates coverage information for a radio access network with geographic area locations. The network node accepts updates to the coverage information for the radio access network via a first interface and downloads coverage information from the database to a wireless user equipment (UE) device via a second interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: Research in Motion Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Alfano, Vytautas Kezys, Yiu Lam, Richard George, Brian Oliver, Mark Pletsch, Balaji Gopalan, Paul Carpenter
  • Patent number: 7953410
    Abstract: A cross-technology coverage mapping system and method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless user equipment (UE) device in a radio network environment. In one exemplary embodiment, the wireless UE device is operable to determine its geographic area location. A logic module of the wireless UE device is adapted for interrogating a database to determine which radio access technologies (RATs) have coverage in the geographic area location. Responsive to the interrogation, scanning by the wireless UE device is restricted to only those RATs that have coverage in the particular geographic area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Alfano, Vytautas Kezys, Yiu Lam, Richard George, Brian Oliver, Mark Pletsch, Balaji Gopalan, Paul Carpenter
  • Publication number: 20110065417
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to control the use of applications on handheld device is based on network service, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a network identifier; correlating the network identifier with application and/or feature limitations stored on the mobile device; and limiting application usage based on the results of such correlating step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Ian James McDonald, Brian Oliver, David Lloyd Heit, Alan Panezic, Douglas Michael Gisby, Gregory Scott Henderson, Nicholas Alfano
  • Publication number: 20100255864
    Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for communicating short message service content to a short message service center. The address of an IP-SM-GW (Internet Protocol-Short Message-Gateway) defined in the 3GPP TS 23.204 is provided to user equipment and used to address an SIP request that contains encapsulated SMS content. The address is stored at the mobile station at a storage element, such as at a SIM card, UICC, or management object. A SIP request generator accesses the storage element and uses the address as the address of the SIP request. The SIP request also includes SMS content, in encapsulation, therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Nicholas Alfano, Andrew Allen
  • Patent number: 7734302
    Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for communicating short message service content to a short message service center. The address of an IP-SM-GW (Internet Protocol-Short Message-Gateway) defined in the 3GPP TS 23.204 is provided to user equipment and used to address an SIP request that contains encapsulated SMS content. The address is stored at the mobile station at a storage element, such as at a SIM card, UICC, or management object. A SIP request generator accesses the storage element and uses the address as the address of the SIP request. The SIP request also includes SMS content, in encapsulation, therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Alfano, Andrew Allen
  • Publication number: 20100111279
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate the generation of calling lists for use in planning or setting up conference calls. The system may include a communications module and a contact database comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record corresponding to a different contact. Each contact record may include at least one contact address and at least one descriptor. For example, the descriptor may include a job title and/or expertise for the contact. The system may also include a selection module configured to select at least one of the contacts and also configured to compare the at least one descriptor to at least one qualifier criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Douglas Gisby, Christopher Labrador, Kevin Andrewin, Nicholas Alfano