Patents by Inventor Richard Cerami

Richard Cerami 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: 11838246
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure provide a message relay service. The message relay service provides an application programming interface (API) with which messages can be sent and received without handling specific implementation details of a messaging system. When inbound messages are received, the message relay service may provide a push notification and/or may store the message for later access. In examples, one or more source addresses are used to send messages. If the client device indicates a group of addresses should be used, one address is selected from the group and used to send a message accordingly. In some examples, the message relay service determines that a messaging gateway need not be used to message a recipient address, and transmits the message without use of the messaging gateway. The same API may be used to send and receive messages across different messaging systems without a customer handling system-specific complexities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: John Verbil, Richard Cerami
  • Publication number: 20230239260
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure provide a message relay service. The message relay service provides an application programming interface (API) with which messages can be sent and received without handling specific implementation details of a messaging system. When inbound messages are received, the message relay service may provide a push notification and/or may store the message for later access. In examples, one or more source addresses are used to send messages. If the client device indicates a group of addresses should be used, one address is selected from the group and used to send a message accordingly. In some examples, the message relay service determines that a messaging gateway need not be used to message a recipient address, and transmits the message without use of the messaging gateway. The same API may be used to send and receive messages across different messaging systems without a customer handling system-specific complexities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: John Verbil, Richard Cerami
  • Patent number: 11616750
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure provide a message relay service. The message relay service provides an application programming interface (API) with which messages can be sent and received without handling specific implementation details of a messaging system. When inbound messages are received, the message relay service may provide a push notification and/or may store the message for later access. In examples, one or more source addresses are used to send messages. If the client device indicates a group of addresses should be used, one address is selected from the group and used to send a message accordingly. In some examples, the message relay service determines that a messaging gateway need not be used to message a recipient address, and transmits the message without use of the messaging gateway. The same API may be used to send and receive messages across different messaging systems without a customer handling system-specific complexities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: John Verbil, Richard Cerami
  • Publication number: 20230074579
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure provide a message relay service. The message relay service provides an application programming interface (API) with which messages can be sent and received without handling specific implementation details of a messaging system. When inbound messages are received, the message relay service may provide a push notification and/or may store the message for later access. In examples, one or more source addresses are used to send messages. If the client device indicates a group of addresses should be used, one address is selected from the group and used to send a message accordingly. In some examples, the message relay service determines that a messaging gateway need not be used to message a recipient address, and transmits the message without use of the messaging gateway. The same API may be used to send and receive messages across different messaging systems without a customer handling system-specific complexities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicant: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: John Verbil, Richard Cerami
  • Patent number: 11496423
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure provide a message relay service. The message relay service provides an application programming interface (API) with which messages can be sent and received without handling specific implementation details of a messaging system. When inbound messages are received, the message relay service may provide a push notification and/or may store the message for later access. In examples, one or more source addresses are used to send messages. If the client device indicates a group of addresses should be used, one address is selected from the group and used to send a message accordingly. In some examples, the message relay service determines that a messaging gateway need not be used to message a recipient address, and transmits the message without use of the messaging gateway. The same API may be used to send and receive messages across different messaging systems without a customer handling system-specific complexities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: John Verbil, Richard Cerami
  • Publication number: 20210152500
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure provide a message relay service. The message relay service provides an application programming interface (API) with which messages can be sent and received without handling specific implementation details of a messaging system. When inbound messages are received, the message relay service may provide a push notification and/or may store the message for later access. In examples, one or more source addresses are used to send messages. If the client device indicates a group of addresses should be used, one address is selected from the group and used to send a message accordingly. In some examples, the message relay service determines that a messaging gateway need not be used to message a recipient address, and transmits the message without use of the messaging gateway. The same API may be used to send and receive messages across different messaging systems without a customer handling system-specific complexities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: John Verbil, Richard Cerami
  • Patent number: 10374864
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for providing enhanced services to telephone subscribers with multiple telephone lines, which can include one or more traditional telephone lines, wireless telephone lines, Internet protocol-based telephone lines, and/or the like. For example, certain tools can provide a subscriber with a unified voice mailbox for a plurality of the subscriber's telephone lines. In some cases, the subscriber does not need to check multiple voice mailboxes (each associated with one of the subscriber's telephone numbers) in order to ensure that the subscriber has received all messages intended for that subscriber. Instead, any incoming call on any of the subscriber's lines can be routed to a converged voice mailbox for easy retrieval by the subscriber of all messages from one location. Some tools employ a VoIP switch to handle routing of the incoming call to the correct voice mailbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Qwest Communications International Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Cerami, John Verbil, Paul D. Jaramillo
  • Publication number: 20180316542
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for providing enhanced services to telephone subscribers with multiple telephone lines, which can include one or more traditional telephone lines, wireless telephone lines, Internet protocol-based telephone lines, and/or the like. For example, certain tools can provide a subscriber with a unified voice mailbox for a plurality of the subscriber's telephone lines. In some cases, the subscriber does not need to check multiple voice mailboxes (each associated with one of the subscriber's telephone numbers) in order to ensure that the subscriber has received all messages intended for that subscriber. Instead, any incoming call on any of the subscriber's lines can be routed to a converged voice mailbox for easy retrieval by the subscriber of all messages from one location. Some tools employ a VoIP switch to handle routing of the incoming call to the correct voice mailbox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Richard Cerami, John Verbil, Paul D. Jaramillo
  • Patent number: 10020977
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for providing enhanced services to telephone subscribers with multiple telephone lines, which can include one or more traditional telephone lines, wireless telephone lines, Internet protocol-based telephone lines, and/or the like. For example, certain tools can provide a subscriber with a unified voice mailbox for a plurality of the subscriber's telephone lines. In some cases, the subscriber does not need to check multiple voice mailboxes (each associated with one of the subscriber's telephone numbers) in order to ensure that the subscriber has received all messages intended for that subscriber. Instead, any incoming call on any of the subscriber's lines can be routed to a converged voice mailbox for easy retrieval by the subscriber of all messages from one location. Some tools employ a VoIP switch to handle routing of the incoming call to the correct voice mailbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Qwest Communications International
    Inventors: Richard Cerami, John Verbil, Paul D. Jaramillo
  • Publication number: 20170250849
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for providing enhanced services to telephone subscribers with multiple telephone lines, which can include one or more traditional telephone lines, wireless telephone lines, Internet protocol-based telephone lines, and/or the like. For example, certain tools can provide a subscriber with a unified voice mailbox for a plurality of the subscriber's telephone lines. In some cases, the subscriber does not need to check multiple voice mailboxes (each associated with one of the subscriber's telephone numbers) in order to ensure that the subscriber has received all messages intended for that subscriber. Instead, any incoming call on any of the subscriber's lines can be routed to a converged voice mailbox for easy retrieval by the subscriber of all messages from one location. Some tools employ a VoIP switch to handle routing of the incoming call to the correct voice mailbox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Richard Cerami, John Verbil, Paul D. Jaramillo
  • Patent number: 9692906
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for providing enhanced services to telephone subscribers with multiple telephone lines, which can include one or more traditional telephone lines, wireless telephone lines, Internet protocol-based telephone lines, and/or the like. For example, certain tools can provide a subscriber with a unified voice mailbox for a plurality of the subscriber's telephone lines. In some cases, the subscriber does not need to check multiple voice mailboxes (each associated with one of the subscriber's telephone numbers) in order to ensure that the subscriber has received all messages intended for that subscriber. Instead, any incoming call on any of the subscriber's lines can be routed to a converged voice mailbox for easy retrieval by the subscriber of all messages from one location. Some tools employ a VoIP switch to handle routing of the incoming call to the correct voice mailbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Qwest Communications International Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Cerami, John Verbil, Paul D. Jaramillo
  • Patent number: 9559869
    Abstract: Solutions for facilitating enhanced video calling functionality. Embodiments include functionality for handling video calling through a communications hub. According to some embodiments, the communications hub is a user supersystem having multiple clients, each with an integrated camera and display, capable of seamlessly handing off video call functionality among the clients. Other embodiments integrate other functionality of the communications hub (e.g., web browsing, multimedia, etc.) into the video call environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Qwest Communications International Inc.
    Inventors: Afshin Frederick Mehin, Valentina Venza, Suzanne Gibbs Howard, Astrid van der Flier, Elger Oberwelz, Nicholas Zambetti, Jesse Tane, Katrin B. Gosling, Coe Leta Rayne Stafford, Martin Nicholas John Heaton, Matthew Robert Adams, Peter Riering-Czekalla, Andrew Paul Switky, Michael Gibson, Richard Cerami
  • Patent number: 9501802
    Abstract: Solutions for capturing and displaying conversation history for providing conversation capture functionality. Some such solutions use a user supersystem as a communications hub to capture and/or generate relevant information for enhancing conversations with contacts, including address book information, contact notes, conversation history information, and/or conversation anchors. The information may then be processed for display to the user via a graphical interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Qwest Communications International Inc.
    Inventors: Astrid van der Flier, Elger Oberwelz, Afshin Frederick Mehin, Peter Riering-Czekalla, Daniel Stillion, Michael Gibson, Richard Cerami
  • Patent number: 9356790
    Abstract: Solutions for providing integrated task list functionality. Some such solutions use a user supersystem as a communications hub to generate, display, and/or handle user-based tasks for a family group. For example, tasks may be assigned to one or more members of the family and associated with various types of dates, rewards, audits, etc. Family members may then interact with the tasks through the communications hub and/or through other devices (e.g., cell phones, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Qwest Communications International Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Zambetti, Jesse Tane, Katrin B. Gosling, Coe Leta Rayne Stafford, Martin Nicholas John Heaton, Matthew Robert Adams, Peter Riering-Czekalla, Andrew Paul Switky, Michael Gibson, Richard Cerami
  • Patent number: 9307090
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for providing a subscriber with converged voice services, in which calls to one of the subscriber's telephone numbers is routed to some or all of the subscriber's telephone numbers (e.g., sequentially or simultaneously, depending on system configuration and/or subscriber preference). Some implementations employ a VoIP switch to handle call distribution among the subscriber's various phone lines, even if some (or all) of the subscribers telephone lines are not VoIP lines. In such implementations, upon receiving an incoming call directed to one of the subscriber's lines, a service switching point will route the call to a VoIP switch. Instructed by an application server, the VoIP switch will set up call legs (e.g., via the PSTN) to one or more of the subscribers' telephone numbers. Optionally, when one of the call legs is answered, the application server will instruct the VoIP switch to disconnect the other call legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Qwest Communications International Inc.
    Inventors: John Verbil, Richard Cerami, Tammy S. Brown, Joel Frederick
  • Publication number: 20160044176
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for providing enhanced services to telephone subscribers with multiple telephone lines, which can include one or more traditional telephone lines, wireless telephone lines, Internet protocol-based telephone lines, and/or the like. For example, certain tools can provide a subscriber with a unified voice mailbox for a plurality of the subscriber's telephone lines. In some cases, the subscriber does not need to check multiple voice mailboxes (each associated with one of the subscriber's telephone numbers) in order to ensure that the subscriber has received all messages intended for that subscriber. Instead, any incoming call on any of the subscriber's lines can be routed to a converged voice mailbox for easy retrieval by the subscriber of all messages from one location. Some tools employ a VoIP switch to handle routing of the incoming call to the correct voice mailbox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Richard Cerami, John Verbil, Paul D. Jaramillo
  • Patent number: 9197756
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for providing enhanced services to telephone subscribers with multiple telephone lines, which can include one or more traditional telephone lines, wireless telephone lines, Internet protocol-based telephone lines, and/or the like. For example, certain tools can provide a subscriber with a unified voice mailbox for a plurality of the subscriber's telephone lines. In some cases, the subscriber does not need to check multiple voice mailboxes (each associated with one of the subscriber's telephone numbers) in order to ensure that the subscriber has received all messages intended for that subscriber. Instead, any incoming call on any of the subscriber's lines can be routed to a converged voice mailbox for easy retrieval by the subscriber of all messages from one location. Some tools employ a VoIP switch to handle routing of the incoming call to the correct voice mailbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Qwest Communications International Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Cerami, John Verbil, Paul D. Jaramillo
  • Publication number: 20150319310
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for providing a subscriber with converged voice services, in which calls to one of the subscriber's telephone numbers is routed to some or all of the subscriber's telephone numbers (e.g., sequentially or simultaneously, depending on system configuration and/or subscriber preference). Some implementations employ a VoIP switch to handle call distribution among the subscriber's various phone lines, even if some (or all) of the subscribers telephone lines are not VoIP lines. In such implementations, upon receiving an incoming call directed to one of the subscriber's lines, a service switching point will route the call to a VoIP switch. Instructed by an application server, the VoIP switch will set up call legs (e.g., via the PSTN) to one or more of the subscribers' telephone numbers. Optionally, when one of the call legs is answered, the application server will instruct the VoIP switch to disconnect the other call legs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventors: John Verbil, Richard Cerami, Tammy S. Brown, Joel Frederick
  • Patent number: 9137380
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for providing a subscriber with converged voice services, in which calls to one of the subscriber's telephone numbers is routed to some or all of the subscriber's telephone numbers (e.g., sequentially or simultaneously, depending on system configuration and/or subscriber preference). Some implementations employ a VoIP switch to handle call distribution among the subscriber's various phone lines, even if some (or all) of the subscribers telephone lines are not VoIP lines. In such implementations, upon receiving an incoming call directed to one of the subscriber's lines, a service switching point will route the call to a VoIP switch. Instructed by an application server, the VoIP switch will set up call legs (e.g., via the PSTN) to one or more of the subscribers' telephone numbers. Optionally, when one of the call legs is answered, the application server will instruct the VoIP switch to disconnect the other call legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Qwest Communications International Inc.
    Inventors: John Verbil, Richard Cerami, Tammy S. Brown, Joel Frederick
  • Patent number: 9003306
    Abstract: Solutions for providing integrated media services, e.g., in the context of communications services offered through a user supersystem configured as an interactive graphical communications hub. For example, interactions with a messaging interface may provide access to media creation functionality, including doodle functionality, in the context of the messaging and/or in the context of other media. In one implementation, the communications interface allows a user to doodle in the context of an image file (e.g., a photo) while in the context of a chat application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Qwest Communications International Inc.
    Inventors: Afshin Frederick Mehin, Valentina Venza, Suzanne Gibbs Howard, Astrid van der Flier, Elger Oberwelz, Nicholas Zambetti, Jesse Tane, Katrin B. Gosling, Coe Leta Rayne Stafford, Martin Nicholas John Heaton, Matthew Robert Adams, Peter Riering-Czekalla, Andrew Paul Switky, Michael Gibson, Richard Cerami