Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Anschutz

Thomas A. Anschutz 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: 9699094
    Abstract: A system for providing differentiated services to traffic flows of a content distribution network is disclosed. In particular, the system may include determining if a first portion of an internet protocol address associated with a traffic flow includes an identifier for a node in the content distribution network by comparing the identifier to a set of prefixes for the content distribution network. Additionally, the system may include determining if a second portion of the internet protocol address matches a unique host address specified by the content distribution network for a customer of the content distribution network. If a rule for providing a differentiated service exists for the customer, the first portion is in the set of prefixes, and the second portion matches the unique host address specified for the customer, the system may provide the differentiated service for the traffic flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Anschutz
  • Patent number: 9692482
    Abstract: A method includes identifying, at a processor, a set of communication lines from a plurality of communication lines, the set of communication lines including a first communication line and a second communication line. A first crosstalk characteristic of the first communication line is correlated with a second crosstalk characteristic of the second communication line. The method also includes modifying, at the processor, a first signal corresponding to the first communication line based on a second signal corresponding to the second communication line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Anschutz, Thomas Starr
  • Patent number: 9693287
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies are described herein for a consumer service cloud (“CSC”) for implementing location-based services to control smart devices. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a CSC system can determine a cell identifier (“ID”) associated with a location in which one or more smart devices resides. The smart device(s) can include one or more settings that can be adjusted remotely by the CSC system to control one or more operational aspects of the smart device(s). The CSC system can periodically receive a cell ID update that can include a current cell ID associated with a current cell in which a user equipment (“UE”) is located. When the CSC system determines that the current cell ID matches the cell ID, the CSC system can generate a request to adjust the setting(s) to control the operational aspect(s) of the smart device(s) and can provide the request to the smart device(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P., AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Zhi Cui, Alan Blackburn, Thomas A. Anschutz, Arthur Richard Brisebois
  • Publication number: 20170070509
    Abstract: A system for providing secure browsing via a transparent network proxy is disclosed. The system may receive, from a client, a request to access a resource. The request may include an identifier that may be utilized to locate the resource. Once the request is received, the system may determine if the resource is not trusted, such as if the identifier is determined to be unknown or suspicious. If the resource is determined to not be trusted by the system, the system may forward the request to a virtual machine manager that may select a browser virtual machine from a pool of browser virtual machines. After the browser virtual machine is selected, the browser virtual machine may stream a rendering of the resource to the client based on the request. The rendering of the resource may be provided in lieu of the actual resource.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Paul Giura, Jeffrey E. Bickford, Donald E. Hendrix, Howard F. Shirokmann, Thomas A. Anschutz, Ching C. Shih
  • Patent number: 9537885
    Abstract: A system for providing secure browsing via a transparent network proxy is disclosed. The system may receive, from a client, a request to access a resource. The request may include an identifier that may be utilized to locate the resource. Once the request is received, the system may determine if the resource is not trusted, such as if the identifier is determined to be unknown or suspicious. If the resource is determined to not be trusted by the system, the system may forward the request to a virtual machine manager that may select a browser virtual machine from a pool of browser virtual machines. After the browser virtual machine is selected, the browser virtual machine may stream a rendering of the resource to the client based on the request. The rendering of the resource may be provided in lieu of the actual resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Paul Giura, Jeffrey E. Bickford, Donald E. Hendrix, Howard F. Shirokmann, Thomas A. Anschutz, Ching C. Shih
  • Publication number: 20160366635
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies are described herein for a consumer service cloud (“CSC”) for implementing location-based services to control smart devices. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a CSC system can determine a cell identifier (“ID”) associated with a location in which one or more smart devices resides. The smart device(s) can include one or more settings that can be adjusted remotely by the CSC system to control one or more operational aspects of the smart device(s). The CSC system can periodically receive a cell ID update that can include a current cell ID associated with a current cell in which a user equipment (“UE”) is located. When the CSC system determines that the current cell ID matches the cell ID, the CSC system can generate a request to adjust the setting(s) to control the operational aspect(s) of the smart device(s) and can provide the request to the smart device(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Applicants: AT&T MOBILITY II LLC, AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Zhi Cui, Alan Blackburn, Thomas A. Anschutz, Arthur Richard Brisebois
  • Publication number: 20160352802
    Abstract: A method includes transmitting a first stream of packets from a first network endpoint to a second network endpoint. The first stream of packets includes a quality of service indicator having a value that indicates a packet loss rate tolerance. The method also includes receiving a retransmission request at the first network endpoint from the second network endpoint for retransmission of at least a portion of the first stream of packets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventor: THOMAS ANSCHUTZ
  • Publication number: 20160301779
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to provide a consumer services cloud in a communications network are disclosed. An example method includes obtaining, at a first device in a communications network, network communications transmitted from a client device of a communications network customer that are diverted via a software-defined networking switch. The example method also includes analyzing the network communications to identify which of multiple possible users associated with the communications network customer is a current user of the client device; in response to identifying the current user, accessing a first profile corresponding to the identified current user to determine a rule to be used to handle the network communications within the communications network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Zhi Cui, Thomas A. Anschutz, Alan Blackburn, Arthur Richard Brisebois
  • Patent number: 9456250
    Abstract: Automatic rating optimization is described. In an embodiment, ratings of a program can be received from one or more rating sources. Based on these ratings, a representation of a content selection mechanism can be sent to potential consumers of the content. Access events for the content can be counted over a duration of time so a determination can be made regarding how the ratings provided by each of the rating sources affect popularity of the content. A weight accorded to ratings received from each of the rating sources can be adjusted based on the determination. Profiles can be established for consumers and/or rating sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Aaron, Thomas Anschutz
  • Patent number: 9445329
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a cloud-based mobility in a wireless network are disclosed. For example, the method receives a path switching request from a user endpoint device. The method then determines if the path switching request is for a regional hand-off. If the path switching request is for a regional hand-off, the method initiates a virtual machine move request for moving a virtual machine providing a mobility support function for a user of the user endpoint device. The method then determines if a response to the virtual machine move request is received. If the response to the virtual machine request is received, the method performs a user plane update and provides a response to the path switching request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Anschutz
  • Patent number: 9438483
    Abstract: A method includes, at a first network endpoint, determining whether a second network endpoint supports receipt of a stream of packets having a quality of service indicator. The method further includes, at the first network endpoint, in response to determining that the second network endpoint supports receipt of the stream of packets having the quality of service indicator, generating and sending the stream of packets having the quality of service indicator and including forward error correction data to the second network endpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Anschutz
  • Publication number: 20160252576
    Abstract: Configurable probe blocks for system monitoring are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to monitor a system include configuring a probe block based on a first value of a control word specifying that a first probe input from a set of available probe inputs associated with the probe block is to be enabled and that a first trigger condition from a set of available trigger conditions associated with the probe block is to be assigned to the first probe input. Some such disclosed example methods also include processing, in accordance with the configuring of the probe block based on the first value of the control word, monitored data accessible via the probe block to determine probe data to output from the probe block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Mostafa Tofighbakhsh, Thomas A. Anschutz
  • Publication number: 20160164790
    Abstract: A system for providing differentiated services to traffic flows of a content distribution network is disclosed. In particular, the system may include determining if a first portion of an internet protocol address associated with a traffic flow includes an identifier for a node in the content distribution network by comparing the identifier to a set of prefixes for the content distribution network. Additionally, the system may include determining if a second portion of the internet protocol address matches a unique host address specified by the content distribution network for a customer of the content distribution network. If a rule for providing a differentiated service exists for the customer, the first portion is in the set of prefixes, and the second portion matches the unique host address specified for the customer, the system may provide the differentiated service for the traffic flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Anschutz
  • Publication number: 20160156978
    Abstract: Automatic rating optimization is described. In an embodiment, ratings of a program can be received from one or more rating sources. Based on these ratings, a representation of a content selection mechanism can be sent to potential consumers of the content. Access events for the content can be counted over a duration of time so a determination can be made regarding how the ratings provided by each of the rating sources affect popularity of the content. A weight accorded to ratings received from each of the rating sources can be adjusted based on the determination. Profiles can be established for consumers and/or rating sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Aaron, Thomas Anschutz
  • Publication number: 20160127889
    Abstract: Mobility management may be utilized to effectuate handover and route packets of information to one or more radio access technologies and/or cells/access points based on network, UE conditions, device location, and/or network entity location. Packet routes, device addresses, handover functions, dynamically may be adjusted based on the best radio technology, cell layer, service provider specified criteria, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Zhi Cui, James W. Rembert, Thomas A. Anschutz
  • Publication number: 20160127945
    Abstract: A telecommunications network may provide telecommunication functionality based, at least in part, on a communications device in communication with the network. The telecommunications network may comprise a routing infrastructure (control plane) that is decoupled from the switching infrastructure (data plane). The telecommunications network may enable common wireless management and control, such as mobility management, radio resource management, quality of service (QoS), load balancing, etc., utilizing SDM control and an internet protocol, across many wireless technologies, e.g., LTE, Wi-Fi, any future 5G access technologies. The telecommunications network may implement hierarchical control functions, such as mobility management, radio resource managements, in distributed controllers, and other functions, such as, authentication, charging, in a centralized controller(s). The simplified telecommunications network may utilize an IP protocol and SDN instead of a GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Zhi Cui, James W. Rembert, Thomas A. Anschutz
  • Publication number: 20160127230
    Abstract: Intelligent traffic routing may be utilized to route packets of information to one or more radio access technologies and/or cells/access points based on network and/or UE conditions. Packet routes dynamically may be adjusted based on the best radio technology, cell layer, service provider specified criteria, or the like. In an example configuration, intelligent traffic routing may be SDN based utilize a simple Internet protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Zhi Cui, Qingmin Hu, Thomas A. Anschutz, James W. Rembert, Farooq Bari
  • Patent number: 9330423
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a personal value for a user are disclosed. For example, the method collects data associated with the user, wherein the data that is collected comprises social connection data, enhances the data that is collected, receives a request, and generates a response to the request by using a personal value for the user, where the personal value is generated from the data that is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Anschutz, James Carlton Bedingfield, Sr., Robert Edwards
  • Patent number: 9319307
    Abstract: A system for providing differentiated services to traffic flows of a content distribution network is disclosed. In particular, the system may include determining if a first portion of an internet protocol address associated with a traffic flow includes an identifier for a node in the content distribution network by comparing the identifier to a set of prefixes for the content distribution network. Additionally, the system may include determining if a second portion of the internet protocol address matches a unique host address specified by the content distribution network for a customer of the content distribution network. If a rule for providing a differentiated service exists for the customer, the first portion is in the set of prefixes, and the second portion matches the unique host address specified for the customer, the system may provide the differentiated service for the traffic flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Anschutz
  • Publication number: 20160044560
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a cloud-based mobility in a wireless network are disclosed. For example, the method receives a path switching request from a user endpoint device. The method then determines if the path switching request is for a regional hand-off. If the path switching request is for a regional hand-off, the method initiates a virtual machine move request for moving a virtual machine providing a mobility support function for a user of the user endpoint device. The method then determines if a response to the virtual machine move request is received. If the response to the virtual machine request is received, the method performs a user plane update and provides a response to the path switching request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventor: THOMAS A. ANSCHUTZ