Patents by Inventor Thomas W. Hill

Thomas W. Hill 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: 9313768
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling a call using a wireless integrated access device that is compatible with Voice over ATM and Voice over DSL on a network side while being compatible with VoIP on a customer premise side are disclosed. For example, the present method employs a wireless integrated access device for receiving an incoming call from a broadband access network that uses dedicated connection switching. In turn, the method establishes a wireless connection for the incoming call with at least one VoIP enabled endpoint device located at a customer premise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, Jr., Scott Mollica
  • Patent number: 8848694
    Abstract: Providing high quality voice/sound communications over a local loop of a telephone network is disclosed. The method includes receiving a voice signal, digitizing the voice signal into a high quality voice signal, utilizing sampling rates and/or sizes above the threshold, negotiating voice processing characteristics between a customer premises equipment and a network element, receiving speech at a customer premises equipment according to the negotiation, converting the received speech into high bandwidth signal and transmitting the high bandwidth signal to a telephone local loop, transmitting the high bandwidth signal from the local loop to wideband node that packetizes the high bandwidth signal for transmission to a packet network and receiving the packetized signal from the packet network at a switch that switches between an on-network or off-network status. A voice over IP platform can route packetized signals from the packet network to the telephone network or another packet network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Chanyu Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, Jr., Scott Joseph Mollica
  • Publication number: 20130315147
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling a call using a wireless integrated access device that is compatible with Voice over ATM and Voice over DSL on a network side while being compatible with VoIP on a customer premise side are disclosed. For example, the present method employs a wireless integrated access device for receiving an incoming call from a broadband access network that uses dedicated connection switching. In turn, the method establishes a wireless connection for the incoming call with at least one VoIP enabled endpoint device located at a customer premise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: FARHAD BARZEGAR, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, JR., Scott Mollica
  • Patent number: 8019449
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method comprising a plurality of activities, comprising: initiating a communications connection between an audio device and a CPE gateway coupled to the audio device, the CPE gateway coupleable to a network; and negotiating between the audio device and the CPE gateway for a parameter associated with processing an audio signal to be transmitted across the network, the audio signal corresponding to a selected audio bandwidth from a plurality of audio bandwidths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, LP
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Scott J. Mollica, Thomas W. Hill
  • Patent number: 7974271
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing high quality sound communications in an IP Centrex environment. The method aspect of the invention comprises, from a network switch, negotiating between a first customer premises equipment (CPE) and a second CPE, the negotiation being related to a possible quality of a call between the first CPE and the second CPE. Next, the switch controls mapping between a dialing plan and a network address, determining a network address of the first CPE and the second CPE and connecting the call between the first CPE and the second CPE. In this manner, the highest quality and broadest bandwidth possible between the first CPE and second CPE through the IP Centrex environment may be used for the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, Jr., Scott Joseph Mollica
  • Patent number: 7940750
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a local network access architecture and method of providing local services that advantageously replaces portions of the physical hardwired local loop with a path that is software-defined. In one embodiment the system comprises a remote terminal comprising a packet processor that converts an analog signal carried on a customer loop into digital packets and a packet node connected to the remote terminal configured to selectively forward the digital packets based on an identifier in the digital packets to equipment of one of a plurality of local exchange carriers, wherein said plurality of local exchange carriers are different companies and each one of said plurality of local exchange carriers provides at least one different service subscribed to by a subscriber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, Jr., Scott Joseph Mollica
  • Patent number: 7924813
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a method comprising a plurality of activities, comprising: via a CPE telephony device simultaneously connectable to a POTS connection and to a connection to a data network: facilitating, via the POTS connection, a PSTN call, and facilitating, via the data network connection, a display of data to a call participant of the PSTN call, the data provided the data network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: A&T Intellectual Property II, LP
    Inventors: Irwin Gerszberg, Scott J. Mollica, Farhad Barzegar, Thomas W. Hill
  • Patent number: 7873031
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method, comprising: receiving, at a subscriber interface line card, an analog signal from a POTS subscriber loop circuit; quantizing the analog signal into a plurality of digital samples; encoding the plurality of digital samples via codec instructions running on a digital signal processor installed on the subscriber interface line card; and converting, via conversion instructions running on the digital signal processor, the encoded plurality of digital samples to a plurality of VoATM packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, Scott J. Mollica
  • Patent number: 7864753
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method, comprising: receiving, at a subscriber interface line card, an analog signal from a POTS subscriber loop circuit; quantizing the analog signal into a plurality of digital samples; encoding, via high-quality audio codec instructions running on a digital signal processor installed on the subscriber interface line card, the plurality of digital samples; and converting, via conversion instructions running on the digital signal processor, the encoded plurality of digital samples into a plurality of VoATM packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, Scott Mollica
  • Publication number: 20090274147
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a local network access architecture and method of providing local services that advantageously replaces portions of the physical hardwired local loop with a path that is software-defined. In one embodiment the system comprises a remote terminal comprising a packet processor that converts an analog signal carried on a customer loop into digital packets and a packet node connected to the remote terminal configured to selectively forward the digital packets based on an identifier in the digital packets to equipment of one of a plurality of local exchange carriers, wherein said plurality of local exchange carriers are different companies and each one of said plurality of local exchange carriers provides at least one different service subscribed to by a subscriber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, JR., Scott Joseph Mollica
  • Patent number: 7599356
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing high quality sound communications in an IP Centrex environment. The method aspect of the invention comprises, from a network switch, negotiating between a first customer premises equipment (CPE) and a second CPE, the negotiation being related to a possible quality of a call between the first CPE and the second CPE. Next, the switch controls mapping between a dialing plan and a network address, determining a network address of the first CPE and the second CPE and connecting the call between the first CPE and the second CPE. In this manner, the highest quality and broadest bandwidth possible between the first CPE and second CPE through the IP Centrex environment may be used for the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, Jr., Scott Joseph Mollica
  • Patent number: 7564833
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a local network access architecture and method of providing local services that advantageously replaces portions of the physical hardwired local loop with a path that is software-defined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, Jr., Scott Joseph Mollica
  • Patent number: 7535891
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method, comprising: receiving, at a subscriber interface line card, an analog signal from a POTS subscriber loop circuit; quantizing the analog signal into a plurality of digital samples; encoding the plurality of digital samples via codec instructions running on a digital signal processor installed on the subscriber interface line card; and converting, via conversion instructions running on the digital signal processor, the encoded plurality of digital samples to a plurality of VoATM packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, Scott J. Mollica
  • Patent number: 7508814
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method, comprising: receiving, at a subscriber interface line card, an analog signal from a POTS subscriber loop circuit; quantizing the analog signal into a plurality of digital samples; encoding, via high-quality audio codec instructions running on a digital signal processor installed on the subscriber interface line card, the plurality of digital samples; and converting, via conversion instructions running on the digital signal processor, the encoded plurality of digital samples into a plurality of VoATM packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property, II, L.P.
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, Scott J. Mollica
  • Patent number: 7450570
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a system and method for providing high quality voice/sound communications over a local loop of a telephone network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, Jr., Scott Joseph Mollica
  • Publication number: 20040131047
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a local network access architecture and method of providing local services that advantageously replaces portions of the physical hardwired local loop with a path that is software-defined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas W. Hill, Scott Joseph Mollica