Patents by Inventor William D. Gentry

William D. Gentry 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: 9161190
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for unifying fixed and mobile devices via third party call control (3PCC) are disclosed. The method is performed at a dedicated application server (AS) that supports a third-party call control (3PCC) interface. According to one method, a call addressed to a unified subscriber identifier associated with a terminating subscriber is detected, where the terminating subscriber is associated with two or more terminating endpoints. The call is offered to each of the terminating endpoints by initiating signaling to each of the terminating endpoints using the 3PCC interface. One of the terminating endpoints used to answer the call is detected and the call is redirected to the terminating endpoint used to answer the call. Signaling messages are sent to all of the terminating endpoints other than the terminating endpoint used to answer the call for instructing the terminating endpoints to release resources associated with the offered call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: GENBAND US LLC
    Inventor: William D. Gentry
  • Publication number: 20140198787
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for providing a forced hold service such as is used for an emergency services call, which is supported at least in part over a packet network. The forced hold service acts to effectively hold a connection for the call with a called party, even when the caller takes an action that would normally end a call, such as going on hook, pressing end, or the like. When the caller takes an action that would normally end the call, the forced hold service allows the caller to automatically reconnect to the emergency services provider over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like. Alternatively, the emergency services provider can effectively re-engage the call wherein the caller is reconnected over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Rockstar Consortium US LP
    Inventors: David P. Ress, William D. Gentry, Brian Stucker, Olga Wagner
  • Patent number: 8705517
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for providing a forced hold service such as is used for an emergency services call, which is supported at least in part over a packet network. The forced hold service acts to effectively hold a connection for the call with a called party, even when the caller takes an action that would normally end a call, such as going on hook, pressing end, or the like. When the caller takes an action that would normally end the call, the forced hold service allows the caller to automatically reconnect to the emergency services provider over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like. Alternatively, the emergency services provider can effectively re-engage the call wherein the caller is reconnected over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Rockstar Consortium US LP
    Inventors: David P. Ress, William D. Gentry, Brian Stucker, Olga Wagner
  • Publication number: 20120269100
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for providing a forced hold service such as is used for an emergency services call, which is supported at least in part over a packet network. The forced hold service acts to effectively hold a connection for the call with a called party, even when the caller takes an action that would normally end a call, such as going on hook, pressing end, or the like. When the caller takes an action that would normally end the call, the forced hold service allows the caller to automatically reconnect to the emergency services provider over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like. Alternatively, the emergency services provider can effectively re-engage the call wherein the caller is reconnected over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: ROCKSTAR BIDCO, LP
    Inventors: David P. Ress, William D. Gentry, Brian Stucker, Olga Wagner
  • Patent number: 8233591
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for providing a forced hold service such as is used for an emergency services call, which is supported at least in part over a packet network. The forced hold service acts to effectively hold a connection for the call with a called party, even when the caller takes an action that would normally end a call, such as going on hook, pressing end, or the like. When the caller takes an action that would normally end the call, the forced hold service allows the caller to automatically reconnect to the emergency services provider over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like. Alternatively, the emergency services provider can effectively re-engage the call wherein the caller is reconnected over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Rockstar Bidco, LP
    Inventors: David P. Ress, William D. Gentry, Brian Stucker, Olga Wagner
  • Publication number: 20120129508
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for unifying fixed and mobile devices via third party call control (3PCC) are disclosed. The method is performed at a dedicated application server (AS) that supports a third-party call control (3PCC) interface. According to one method, a call addressed to a unified subscriber identifier associated with a terminating subscriber is detected, where the terminating subscriber is associated with two or more terminating endpoints. The call is offered to each of the terminating endpoints by initiating signaling to each of the terminating endpoints using the 3PCC interface. One of the terminating endpoints used to answer the call is detected and the call is redirected to the terminating endpoint used to answer the call. Signaling messages are sent to all of the terminating endpoints other than the terminating endpoint used to answer the call for instructing the terminating endpoints to release resources associated with the offered call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventor: William D. Gentry
  • Publication number: 20090285203
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for providing a forced hold service such as is used for an emergency services call, which is supported at least in part over a packet network. The forced hold service acts to effectively hold a connection for the call with a called party, even when the caller takes an action that would normally end a call, such as going on hook, pressing end, or the like. When the caller takes an action that would normally end the call, the forced hold service allows the caller to automatically reconnect to the emergency services provider over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like. Alternatively, the emergency services provider can effectively re-engage the call wherein the caller is reconnected over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: NORTEL NETWORKS LIMITED
    Inventors: David P. Ress, William D. Gentry, Brian Stucker, Olga Wagner
  • Patent number: 7587031
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for providing a forced hold service such as is used for an emergency services call, which is supported at least in part over a packet network. The forced hold service acts to effectively hold a connection for the call with a called party, even when the caller takes an action that would normally end a call, such as going on hook, pressing end, or the like. When the caller takes an action that would normally end the call, the forced hold service allows the caller to automatically reconnect to the emergency services provider over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like. Alternatively, the emergency services provider can effectively re-engage the call wherein the caller is reconnected over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: David P. Ress, William D. Gentry, Brian Stucker, Olga Wagner
  • Patent number: 7286545
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a service broker capable of dynamically provisioning media gateways, gateway controllers, and call servers when adding one or more of these elements to the network, or reconfiguring the network when an element fails or to balance loads. Based on defined guidelines or rules, the service broker can select gateway controllers for media gateways, call servers for gateway controllers, and backup elements for any of the above. Once selected, the service broker notifies all affected elements of their associations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: W. Scott Tester, Drue Merkle, Donald McKinney, Scott Ajax, William D. Gentry
  • Patent number: 6888803
    Abstract: A system for providing wireline telephone services to wireless subscribers utilizing a packet data network 100. The system includes a base station controller (BSC) 210 a base station controller gateway (BGW) 200 for providing client based services to mobile subscribers and providing protocol mapping between a mobile protocol and a packet data network protocol. The system further comprises a mobility gatekeeper (GK) 500 for managing network mobility services for each wireless call including the establishment of a call control path and a speech path between said base station controller and a serving end office telephone point. The system also comprises a end office gateway (EOGW) 300 for providing protocol conversion between the packet data network protocol and the end office point data protocol such that a wireless subscriber has access to all wireline services provided by the end office point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: William D. Gentry, Samuel H. Christie, IV, David P. Ress, R. Emery Hanzel, Kevin H. Klinge, Richard M. Coyle
  • Patent number: 6799210
    Abstract: The present invention provides an architecture for a media gateway to identify and register with multiple media gateway controllers for various types of voice and data services, along with having the media gateway appear to each of these media gateway controllers as a single, dedicated control entity. A logical layer, referred to as a virtualizer, is associated with each media gateway and appears to the media gateway as a single media gateway controller. To each media gateway controller the virtualizer supports, the virtualizer appears as a single media gateway. In essence, the virtualizer is a protocol manager and message router. The virtualizer supports the registration of multiple media gateways and then creates virtual gateways based on requirements of the media gateway controllers serving these virtual gateways. Preferably, subscribers associated with endpoints handled by the media gateway are grouped into a virtual gateway being served by a select media gateway controller or group thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: William D. Gentry, Jason G. Emery, Samuel H. Christie, IV
  • Patent number: 6496578
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided to deliver integrated call screen list based telephony services for a subscriber having both landline and mobile wireless telephone terminals. Call screen list based services are selectively provided to a landline or mobile wireless telephone terminal for which an incoming call is being received. These services can be coordinated and integrated between the landline and mobile wireless telephone terminals in various telephony topologies. For example, services can be integrated when the landline and mobile wireless telephone terminals are operably connected to separate mobile and landline telecommunications switching infrastructures or to a common integrated landline and wireless telecommunications switch. One or more call screen lists may be used to define integrated call screen list based services for landline and wireless telephone terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Hwei-Ling Chen, Sanjay G. Bhatia, William D. Gentry