Patents by Inventor Thomas Michael Watson

Thomas Michael Watson 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: 7406166
    Abstract: A message conversion system comprising a first interface configured to receive a call signaling message for a call in a first format wherein the call signaling message includes a plurality of call information elements, a processing system configured to copy the plurality of call information elements from the call signaling message, insert a first group of the plurality of call information elements into a first group of a plurality of fields of a setup message, and insert a second group of the plurality of call information elements into a second group of the plurality of fields of the setup message, and a second interface configured to transmit the setup message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Watson, John Michael Gatewood
  • Patent number: 6987850
    Abstract: A communication system comprising a first interface configured to receive first call signaling for an incoming call from a calling party wherein the first call signaling indicates first information for the incoming call and receive a first type of communications for the incoming call from the calling party and transfer the communications to an agent, a processing system configured to process the first call signaling to determine the agent for the incoming call, and a second interface configured to transfer second call signaling for an outgoing call to a called party wherein the second call signaling indicates the first information for the incoming call and transfer a second type of communications for the outgoing call from the agent to the called party wherein the agent translated the first type of communications to the second type of communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Michael Watson
  • Patent number: 6831974
    Abstract: A system for providing a telephone number of a calling party to a called party for calls being handled at a call center. First the call center receives a first call set-up message in a switching system to set-up an incoming call to a terminal in the call center. The call center then extends the incoming call from the switching system to the terminal. The call center then receives a request in the switching system from the terminal to set-up an outgoing call to a called party. The call center then generates a second call set-up message including an identification of the calling party and the call set-up message to the called party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Watson, Paul W. Ludwick
  • Patent number: 6724886
    Abstract: A call center handles TTY calls for the hearing and speech impaired. The call center includes a modem bank housing multiple modems. Each modem in the modem bank is connected to a switching system and a network. Terminals for handling the calls are also connected to the network. A call controller is connected to the network and to the switching system. When a call is received by the switching system, call information is transmitted to the call controller by the switching system. The call is then extended by the switch to a modem in a modem pool. The modem bank controller then requests the identity of an available terminal to handle the call from the call controller. The call controller determines which of terminals is available to handle the incoming call. The identity of the selected terminal is transmitted to the modem bank controller. The modem bank controller commands the modem receiving the call to then transmit data received to the selected terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Michael Watson
  • Patent number: 6683937
    Abstract: A call center for handling calls for speech and hearing impaired subscribers. The call center includes a plurality of terminals connected to a switching system to handle calls. Each of said plurality of terminals includes a computer system that handles video calls from the speech and hearing impaired subscribers and a telephone station that handles voice calls to parties communicating with the speech and hearing impaired subscribers. A call controller connected to the switching system and the plurality of terminals determines which of the plurality of terminals handles an incoming call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Watson, Paul W. Ludwick
  • Patent number: 6570963
    Abstract: A call center for handling call for speech and hearing impaired subscribers. The call center includes a plurality of terminals connected to a switching system to handle calls. Each of said plurality of terminals includes a computer system that handles video calls from the speech and hearing impaired subscribers and a telephone station that handles voice calls to parties communicating with the speech and hearing impaired subscribers. A call controller connected to the switching system and the plurality of terminals determines which of the plurality of terminals handles an incoming call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Watson, Paul W. Ludwick