Patents Issued in March 31, 2015
  • Patent number: 8996603
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining a whether access to host requested by a user is permitted. User identifying information is obtained using any of a variety of techniques. The method includes determining a user domain, which indicates an identity of the user's home service provider. A list of hosts is determined based on the home provider. If the requested host is in the list of hosts, then the user is allowed access to the requested host though the user is not authorized. The list of hosts may be determined by one or more attributes from an actual or implied user profile, such as a domain name.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chen Yehezkel Burshan, Michael Manning, Elad Goldberg
  • Patent number: 8996604
    Abstract: In a larger-scale context such as that of a workflow system, a mechanism and a set of rules are for looking up a parameter in a hierarchical symbol table. In accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention, the approach is bottom-up, and uses rules defined in an arbitration table to determine a correct version of the parameter. A distributed design is broadly contemplated herein, wherein different symbol tables need not be disposed on one and the same machine. This can permit a greater degree of scalability and error tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sikta Pany, Smruti R. Sarangi
  • Patent number: 8996605
    Abstract: In a service providing system, a client includes a transmitting unit configured to transmit specification information associated with specifications of the client to the management server, a receiving unit configured to receive registration completion information from a management server, a transmitting unit configured to transmit a request for service information to a service providing server, and a service prohibition unit configured to prevent receipt of the service information from the service providing server until the registration completion information is received after transmission of the specification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Matsuda, Kiyotaka Ohara, Kazuma Aoki
  • Patent number: 8996606
    Abstract: Various systems and methods for providing access to a dynamically generated rules table as a Web Service are disclosed. One method involves receiving a Web Service request from a requester and then dynamically generating a rules table, in response to receipt of the Web Service request. Dynamically generating the rules table includes accessing one or more matrices that store information associated with multiple different rules tables. For example, dynamic generation of the rules table can involve accessing a dimension matrix that stores information identifying one or more input criteria and one or more results included in the rules table, selecting information from a rules matrix based upon the criteria and results identified by the dimension matrix, and then storing the selected information from the rules matrix in the rules table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. M. Seaman, II, Jonathan Fan, Yi Chang
  • Patent number: 8996607
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media identify a server to a client device. In one implementation, server identification data is stored for a plurality of servers associated with a service. An identifier of a client device is received. One of the plurality of servers is selected to provide the service to the client device, and the server is selected based on the identifier of the client device. The server identification data for the selected server is provided to the client device. The selected server may receive a request to access the service from the client device, and may process the request consistent with state data stored at the selected server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Girish Bansilal Bajaj, Zhi An
  • Patent number: 8996608
    Abstract: A service provider apparatus is provided with a first application for executing a process related to a Web page or Web contents, and a service providing part for providing services. The first application sends a request to a second application included in another apparatus. The service providing part receives a service providing request related to the request from the second application, and provides a service depending on the service providing request, so as to expand functions of the services provided by the service provider apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsumi Kanasaki
  • Patent number: 8996609
    Abstract: A system for building and maintaining a connected instance group of machines includes protocols for instance group creation; master machine creation, operation, and recovery; and peer machine creation, operation, and recovery. These protocols allow each machine to connect with a data source and to build a local hosts file containing the name and IP addresses of the machines in the instance group and, thus, provides network connectivity among the machines in the instance group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: TIBCO Software Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Wang, Ken Leung
  • Patent number: 8996610
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments, there are provided proxy mechanisms and methods for utilizing an identifier of a request to route the request to a networked device. These proxy mechanisms and methods for utilizing an identifier of a request to route the request to a network device can avoid delays associated with using DNS to route requests, while further reducing a number of IP addresses necessary for routing such requests to various network devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Jayesh Sureshchandra, Steven Lawrance, Ryan Guest, Addison Luh
  • Patent number: 8996611
    Abstract: A plurality of servers configured to receive a plurality of requests associated with a plurality of byte sequences are described herein. The requests for each byte sequence are received by a single one of the servers. Each server is further configured to serially process the requests it receives while the other servers also perform serial processing of requests in parallel with the server. Also, the requests for each byte sequence are transmitted to the single one of the servers by a plurality of clients, each client independently identifying the single one of the servers for the byte sequence based on system metadata.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Edmund B. Nightingale, Jeremy E. Elson
  • Patent number: 8996612
    Abstract: A system (150) and method are disclosed that provide for the transfer of at least one packet (194) comprising data between a user space (152) and a kernel space (154) associated with a server (156) that is positioned in a distributed network arrangement (192) with a plurality of clients (158, 160, 162, 164). A distribution program (168) associated with the user space (152) is operable to accumulate the at least one packet (194). An application program interface (174) associated with the user space (152) transfers the at least one packet (194) to the kernel space (154) with a number of software interrupts (204). A driver (176) associated with the kernel space (154) is operable to distribute the at least one packet (194) to a subset of the plurality of clients (158, 160, 162, 164) in response to receiving the number of software interrupts (204). The number of software interrupts (204) is less than one software interrupt per packet per client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew David Klager, Robert Lee Rhudy
  • Patent number: 8996613
    Abstract: A mobile device logs communications with other communication devices by automatically logging the communication details with a business application backend server. The mobile device executes a client-side business application and coordinates with the backend server to ensure that communication logs are stored on the backend server and associated with customer accounts maintained by the backend server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: SAP SE
    Inventor: Yang-cheng Fan
  • Patent number: 8996614
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for load balancing multiple application delivery controllers (ADCs) in multiple tiers. An upper layer of the tier comprises ADCs that load balance the plurality of ADCs of a lower layer of the tier. In order to appropriately share and maintain client IPs for transparent cache redirection scenarios, the transport layer (Transport Control Protocol (TCP)) port range is split among the ADCs of the lower tier. The lower tier ADCs would then create a connection only using a source port assigned to them. The response from the origin will then be sent to the upper level ADC which looks at the destination port and forward the packet to the correct lower tier ADC. Hence, the ADCs at two levels will work in conjunction to provide transparent cache direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Akshat Choudhary, Anil Kumar Gavini, Anil Shetty
  • Patent number: 8996615
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for synchronizing an action in a piece of Rich Media® content with a change in a piece of audiovisual content, said Rich Media® and audiovisual content being part of a Rich Media® presentation. According to the invention, the method comprises the following steps: obtaining a piece of information representative of said change in said piece of audiovisual content, or change information; synchronizing an action in said piece of Rich Media® content with said change, said synchronization step including the following substeps: converting said change information into a Rich Media® event; detecting said event by at least one Rich Media® object of said presentation; triggering said action in said presentation on the basis of said detected event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Streamezzo
    Inventors: Pierre-Erwann Gouesbet, Stephane Bellanger, Jean-Claude Dufourd
  • Patent number: 8996616
    Abstract: Methods and systems that provide for cross-linking from composite images that include receiving, over a computer network, a source image and then associating a first identifier tag with a first object in the source image. A composite image is generated from the source image, wherein the composite image includes a cropped image of the first object. Then a first user is notified that the first identifier tag is associated with the first object in the cropped image and also includes a copy of the composite image. Additionally, the user can select the first object in the composite image and be linked to the source image that contains the selected first object where the first object is highlighted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Balaji Srinivasan, Brett Rolston Lider, Zach Yeskel, Alison Boncha
  • Patent number: 8996617
    Abstract: The present invention relates to voting systems, and more particularly to social network based voting systems. Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and processes, computing devices, computer-implemented methods, computer programs stored on a computer-readable medium, and network communications used for the creation and use of dynamic fractional proxy in social network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Inventor: Jeffrey F. Miller
  • Patent number: 8996618
    Abstract: A method for facilitating a sequenced, anonymous communications session in a communications environment is provided in one example that includes receiving, from a first endpoint, an anonymous, sequenced request for a communication session involving a second endpoint. The communication session is sequenced to occur at designated periods provided by the end user(s) and/or an administrator, while maintaining end user(s) anonymity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Match.com, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Michael G. Bustamente
  • Patent number: 8996619
    Abstract: An instant message is communicated from a controller device to a target device. The instant message includes a command and one or more optional parameters associated with the command. Upon authentication and validation of the instant message and the command (and any optional parameters), the command is executed. The target device generates a second instant message having at least one of a response, a result, and a status associated with at least one of the authentication, validation, and execution. The second instant message is communicated to the controller device. The controller device authenticates the second instant message and validates at least one of the response, the result, and the status. As a particular example, the controller device represents a communication device such as a mobile telephone or personal digital assistant, and the target device represents a media application server capable of supporting one or more communication sessions such as conference calls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David W. McKnight, F. Randall Murray, II, Stephen R. Whynot
  • Patent number: 8996620
    Abstract: A client system submits a request to the first instant messaging system to access the first instant messaging service. The request includes an online identity that is associated with a second instant messaging system. The first instant messaging system communicates with the second instant messaging system to enable authentication of the online identity and, upon authentication, the first instant messaging system enables the client system to access the first instant messaging service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: AOL Inc.
    Inventor: Larry L. Lu
  • Patent number: 8996621
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive a comment object from a first client computer, the comment object being associated with an electronic document accessed from the first client computer. Further actions may include assigning the comment object a unique identifier, placing the comment object in a queue according to the unique identifier, and forwarding the comment object to a second client computer in response to opening the electronic document by the second client computer. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: Paul Kleppner
  • Patent number: 8996622
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for detecting spam hosts. In one embodiment, one or more graphs are generated using data obtained from a query log, where the one or more graphs include at least one of an anticlick graph or a view graph. Values of one or more syntactic features of the one or more graphs are ascertained. Values of one or more semantic features of the one or more graphs are determined by propagating categories from a web directory among nodes in each of the one or more graphs. Spam hosts are then detected based upon the values of the syntactic features and the semantic features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Debora Donato, Aristides Gionis, Claudio Corsi, Paolo Ferragina
  • Patent number: 8996623
    Abstract: Messages are managed for cost. A processing device includes receiving a message designating a recipient and determining a cost associated with the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edith H. Stern, Patrick J. O'Sullivan, Liam Harpur, Barry E. Willner
  • Patent number: 8996624
    Abstract: Raw presence data from a plurality of presence data sources is collected and processed into unified presence data. Unified presence data over a period of time before a first time is stored in a historical presence data archive. A probability of a presence variable having a specific value is generated based on unified presence data collected and processed at a second time on or after the first time, the historical presence data archive, and user profile data. Presence information is generated based on the probability and the user profile data. Presence data sources include both Session Initiation Protocol based and non Session Initiation Protocol based presence data sources. In an embodiment, non Session Initiation Protocol based unified presence data is transformed into Session Initiation Protocol based unified presence data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Rice, Rittwik Jana, John F. Murray, Ron Shacham
  • Patent number: 8996625
    Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for aggregating posts submitted to a messaging system. A server system identifies a plurality of posts that were submitted to a messaging system from a plurality of users with which a first user has an acquaintanceship relationship. The server system analyzes content from a body of each post to determine a group of the posts that each reference a common topic. The server system provides information so as to cause the computing device to display to the first user, in place of an individual display for each post in the group, an aggregate post that presents, as a primary entity, a second user of the messaging system that is affiliated with the common topic and that did not submit to the messaging system a post that referenced the common topic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Singleton, Scott Eblen
  • Patent number: 8996626
    Abstract: A content sharing method of an intermediate node based on a content oriented network (CON) is provided. The method includes receiving, from a content requesting terminal, a proxy sharing request message with respect to a content including a content name of the content, the content including a plurality of data segments, generating data segment request messages with respect to each of the plurality of data segments corresponding to the content, in response to the reception of the proxy sharing request message, transmitting the data segment request messages to at least one terminal having the plurality of data segments, receiving the plurality of data segments from the at least one terminal, and transmitting the content to the content requesting terminal, using an aggregated data transmission scheme based on the received plurality of data segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji Hoon Lee, Myeong Wuk Jang, Jae Hoon Kim, Do Jun Byun, Joong Hong Park, Sung Chan Choi
  • Patent number: 8996627
    Abstract: An extension system for rendering custom posts in the activity stream comprises an activity streams front end, an activity streams backend and a custom template storage. The activity streams backend is communicatively coupled to receive activity information from activity sources. Clients send custom metadata to the activity streams backend, including a key for decoding and rendering the proper templates and associated scripts on the activity streams frontend. The activity streams backend encodes this custom key and metadata as part of the activity information. The activity streams front end retrieves the encoded information and decodes the encoded information to produce data and a type. From the type, the activity streams front end accesses the custom template storage to determine the associated custom template and JavaScript. The activity streams front end cooperates with the client to use the data, custom template and JavaScript to render the activity information at the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryo Misha Urano, Irene Chung
  • Patent number: 8996628
    Abstract: A method and apparatus that uses the Internet protocol, TCP/IP, for a home control network. The invention also provides embedded servers, email clients at the electrical boxes. The invention integrates the Internet to the electrical outlet, switch, or appliance boxes using a low cost embedded web server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Richard Anthony Bishel
  • Patent number: 8996629
    Abstract: A system and method for generating a stream of content for a channel. The channel application includes a content categorizer, a scoring engine and a channel engine. The content categorizer categorizes new content items received from heterogeneous data sources. The channel engine identifies a channel category for a user based at least in part on at least one of a historical trend and a user activity. The scoring engine queries the new content items based on the channel category and at least one other channel attribute. The scoring engine retrieves candidate content items that include the channel category and the other channel attribute. The scoring engine then generates a stream of content from the candidate content items for the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Mayur Datar, Jonathan Terleski, Justin Kosslyn, Andrew Tomkins, Ray Su, Chris Wiggins
  • Patent number: 8996630
    Abstract: An event notification system is linked to a plurality of event generation devices and to an event notification network. The system receives event messages from the event generation devices and determines what information should be included in an event notification message that the system transmits to one or more recipient devices. Each event notification message includes coded event message information and a coded unique message identity. A response message receive by the system from a recipient device includes the coded event message information which is used by the system to validate the response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Globestar, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Wilson, Raul Sinimae
  • Patent number: 8996631
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for customizing a user display is disclosed. A user is identified based on user-provided information or user activity. The user's sharing activity is determined. A user type is identified based at least in part on the user's sharing activity and associated with the user. The user type is one of two or more user types related to a measure of the user's sharing activity. One or more of a content item and an annotation displayed to the user is customized based at least in part on the user's user type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jessica Staddon, Andrew Tomkins
  • Patent number: 8996632
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product are provided for managing email disk usage based on user specified conditions. An incoming email for a user is scanned for email expressions. A determination is made as to whether one of the email expressions matches one of a number of listed expressions forming a matched expression. Responsive to a presence of a matched expression, a determination is made as to whether a first threshold associated with the matched expression is met or exceeded. Responsive to the first threshold being met or exceeded, a notification is sent to the user of the first threshold being met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven M. French, Suhail H. Kazi, Usha K. Ketineni, II, Prasad V. Potluri, Sharmila Potluri, Rakesh Sharma, Suzanne Shi
  • Patent number: 8996633
    Abstract: Systems for providing emotional tone-based notifications for communications and related methods are provided. In this regard, a representative system includes an electronic device having a network/communication interface operative to facilitate communication over a networked environment. The electronic device is operative to automatically associate information corresponding to an emotional tone of the communication with the communication such that a recipient of the communication is informed of the emotional tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory A. Dunko
  • Patent number: 8996634
    Abstract: A system and method for an automatic messaging system which automatically sends emails or pages to groups of people with specific data from a database. Other messaging tools may be utilized. The data source that provides information may be any ODBC compliant data source including standard DBMS (SQL Server, Oracle, Informix, DB2, Sybase, etc.) Access databases, or Excel spreadsheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Charles E. Atchison, Goutham Belliappa, Michelle L. Randolph
  • Patent number: 8996635
    Abstract: A server system stores a hosted conversation having a special-purpose automated participant and a standard participant. The server system receives a request to modify the conversation from a first participant, determines a set of edits that update the conversation to an updated state in accordance with the request to modify the conversation; and sends, the set of edits to a second participant. When the first participant is a standard participant: the request includes an indication of preliminary edits; the conversation is updated in accordance with the preliminary edits; and the set of edits include concurrency-resolved edits. When the first participant is a special-purpose automated participant: the request includes an operation to be performed on the conversation; the operation is performed on the conversation at the server system; and the set of edits updates the conversation, in accordance with the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: David Mark Byttow, Marcel Adi Prasetya, Douwe M Osinga
  • Patent number: 8996636
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for answer-based routing of Diameter request messages are disclosed. According to one method, a Diameter request message is received from a first Diameter node at a. A copy of at least a portion of the Diameter request message is cached at the DSR and the Diameter request message is routed to a second Diameter node. The DSR determines whether a predetermined condition associated with an answer to the first Diameter request message exists. In response to determining that the predetermined condition exists, the cached portion of the Diameter request message is retrieved, a Diameter request that includes the cached portion of the Diameter request message is generated, and the generated Diameter request message is routed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Tekelec, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Craig, Mark Edward Kanode, Thomas Matthew McCann, David Michael Sprague, Donald Eugene Wallace, Peter Joseph Marsico
  • Patent number: 8996637
    Abstract: An example method for delivery of push notifications includes receiving a push notification including a message and a destination, creating a send token, sending a push notification derived from the received push notification and the send token, and receiving push information concerning a processing of the sent push notification which is identified by the send token. An example system for delivering push notifications includes a server system having a processor, memory, and a network interface, where the memory stores program instructions including code segments for receiving a received push notification via the network interface. In this example, the program instructions further includes code segments for creating a send token, code segments for sending a sent push notification derived from the received push notification and the send token via the network interface, and code segments for receiving received push information concerning a processing of the sent push notification are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Urban Airship, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam C. Lowry, Erik A. Onnen
  • Patent number: 8996638
    Abstract: Disclosed system and methods for detecting spam using shingles. In one aspect, the system receives an electronic message including at least a text portion. The system identifies in the received message insignificant text portions. The system then removes identified insignificant text portions to generate an abridged message. The system then generates a set of shingles from the abridged message. The system then indentifies in the generated set of shingles one or more shingles that occur only in messages not containing spam. The system then removes one or more identified shingles from the generated set of shingles to generate a reduced set of shingles. The system then performs spam filtering of the reduced set of shingles to determine whether the received message contains spam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Kaspersky Lab Zao
    Inventors: Sergey G. Zagorsky, Darya V. Loseva, Vladimir A. Skvortsov
  • Patent number: 8996639
    Abstract: A computing system includes at least one processor and at least one module, operable by the at least one processor to receive, from a computing device associated with a user, an indication of an incoming communication, the incoming communication including information and determine, based at least in part on the information included in the incoming communication, one or more candidate responses to the incoming communication, wherein each candidate response includes information to be sent by the computing device to at least one other computing device, and wherein at least one candidate response was previously selected at least at a threshold frequency by at least one of the user and one or more other users. The at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to send, to the computing device, a set of candidate responses from the one or more candidate responses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Faaborg, Joshua Robin Kaplan
  • Patent number: 8996640
    Abstract: An internet service provider (ISP) is configured to analyze a subscriber's sent e-mail packets to determine a subscriber identity associated with the e-mail packets. A database is then queried to determine a current sending rate of e-mails by the subscriber. A sending rate above an allowed threshold causes the upstream transmission of the e-mail packets to be blocked by injecting connection destroying packets. A subscriber remains blocked from upstream transmission of e-mails until the sending rate as determined by the ISP drops below a second, more stringent threshold. This automatic process is also accompanied by automated messaging to the subscriber with information as to the measures taken and remedial options.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Perftech, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Schmidt, John A. Murphy, Henry M. Donzis, Lewis T. Donzis, Peter W. Baron, Rodney D. Frey
  • Patent number: 8996641
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method and corresponding system for personalizing and disbursing content material in an automated fashion based on differing characteristics or profiles of the recipients. The system includes a database of potential recipients with key characteristics such as location data, revenue, product ownership, customer status, tenure with the company/organization, payment status, credit rating, whether they have recently responded to other material, and the like. Dissemination media include email communications, collaterals, brochures, textual materials, image and video information, and any similar media, where the contents of the communication material is customized based on the key characteristics profiles of the recipients and driven by a set of business rules that can be adapted to fit various scenarios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P. via a transfer from AT&T Corp
    Inventors: David G. Belanger, Sam Houston Parker, Sarat Puthenpura, Wenjie Zhao
  • Patent number: 8996642
    Abstract: The present disclosure facilitates servicing information technology support tickets. In some embodiments, the system includes a server configured to access a database storing two support tickets, each of which can have a ticket identifier and information to facilitate providing information technology support to a computing device. The server can receive an indication of a status from two computing devices, each of which can be associated with one of the support tickets. The server can determine a priority of each ticket based on its status, where the priority of the first ticket is higher than the priority of the second ticket. The server can initiate a chat session associated with the first computing device and the first ticket to provide information technology support to the first computing device, based on the priority of the first ticket and the status of the first computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: ConnectWise Inc.
    Inventors: Arnold Bellini, III, Linda Brotherton
  • Patent number: 8996643
    Abstract: System having at least one master unit and a plurality of slave units, the master unit and the slave unit including means for performing communication via radio frequency channels. The at least one master unit includes means for transmitting control signals to the slave units, the slave units each being provided with a unique address and each being associated with a controllable device. The at least one master unit includes means for configuring the slave units addressable by the master unit in a number of sectors, and the master unit has further means for allocating predefined identifications to the slave units. Further, the master unit has display means, by means of which the predefined identifications may be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: VKR Holding A/S
    Inventors: Ulrik Vagn Ebbe, Henrik Raun Byberg, Jeppe Vestergaard, Preben Kjærsgaard, Thomas Christiansen
  • Patent number: 8996644
    Abstract: A data processing system comprising a host computer system and a network interface device for connection to a network, the host computer system and network interface device being coupled together by means of a data bus, and: the network interface device comprising: a controller unit having a first data port for connection to a network, a second data port, and a data bus interface connected to said data bus, the controller unit being operable to perform, in dependence on the network endpoints to which data packets received at the network interface device are directed, switching of data packets between the first and second data ports and the data bus interface; and an accelerator module having a first medium access controller coupled to said second data port of the controller unit and a processor operable to perform one or more functions in hardware on data packets received at the accelerator module, the said first medium access controller being operable to support one or more first network endpoints; the host
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Solarflare Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven L. Pope
  • Patent number: 8996645
    Abstract: In the technical field of data storage and access, the invention relates to the technique of data transmission using a storage area network (SAN) in a magnetic disk storage device environment, including a method for transmitting data over a SAN in such an environment, including: determining a logical volume accessible to a server of the magnetic disk storage device; obtaining information on a logical volume accessible to a client of the magnetic disk storage device, which is determined by the client; establishing a corresponding relationship between the logical volume accessible to the server and the logical volume accessible to the client; receiving a request for using the logical volume of the magnetic disk storage device from the client; and informing the client of an available logical volume by utilizing the corresponding relationship so that a data access to the available logical volume is performed by the client over the SAN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yin Xiang Xiong, Jing Wen, Yan Xin Li
  • Patent number: 8996646
    Abstract: The invention relates to a peer-to-peer network where said peer-to-peer network comprises a plurality of peers (P), wherein said peer (RP) comprises and maintains a communication record (CR) defining a plurality of candidate peers (CP) from which information representative data (S) may be downloaded, wherein said plurality of candidate peers (CP) comprises a subset of said plurality of peers (P), and wherein said peer (RP) comprises means for downloading said information representative data (S) from at least one of said candidate peers (CP) according to an individual routine of said peer (RP). The invention furthermore relates to a peer-to-peer network comprising a plurality of peers (P) according to the above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Codemate A/S
    Inventors: Stephen Alstrup, Theis Rauhe
  • Patent number: 8996647
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a solution to optimize data transfer between a mobile device and a cloud storage provider. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention may select one or more files for transfer from the mobile device to a cloud storage device based on an analysis of a set (at least one) of factors such as: (1) the percentage of local storage being consumed on the mobile device; (2) the mobile device's billing plan, and whether file transfer will cause the billing plan to be exceeded; (3) a capacity of a link between the mobile device and the cloud storage provider; (4) dates of last access for files stored on the mobile device; and/or (5) a battery power remaining in the mobile device (if applicable). Any files selected based on an analysis of these factors can be transferred via the link and deleted from the mobile device. Typically, a file is a candidate for transfer if it has not been accessed recently (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles S. Lingafelt, James W. Murray, James T. Swantek, James S. Worley
  • Patent number: 8996648
    Abstract: Social networking feed extensibility based on data types is described. An apparatus may comprise a custom feed system that when executed by a processor is operative to customize a social networking feed for a social networking system. The custom feed system may comprise a message reception component operative to receive a message from a client device, a message analysis component operative to determine a message type of the message based on a syntax of the message, and a message display component operative to display the message with a message display style specific to the message type of the message. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Anne Archambault, Cedric Dussud, Jeremy Santy, Ellen Steele
  • Patent number: 8996649
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided that facilitate downloading and/or applying policies for a current configuration of network interfaces. Where a network interface of a device is deactivated or otherwise losses connection, the device can ensure policies for communicating without the network interface are enforced. Where such policies are not available, the policies can be downloaded to ensure the device stores policies for the network interface configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerardo Giaretta, Patrick Stupar, Peter C. Thompson
  • Patent number: 8996650
    Abstract: Preparing a content package by determining a requesting user profile based on the requesting user identity. This includes calculating an inclusion value for a content file based on at least one factor. The factor may be a social networking factor. The social networking factor is based on a profile attribute linking the requesting user identity to at least one friend user identity and a content rating attribute linking the content file to the friend profile. Other factors are a content aging factor based on a content age value and a request length factor based on a content length value. The calculated inclusion value is compared to an inclusion condition. If the calculated inclusion value satisfies the inclusion condition, incorporating the content file into the content package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited
    Inventor: Rahul Mahajan
  • Patent number: 8996651
    Abstract: A media delivery system comprises a handheld computing and communication device, a media delivery unit and a user specific media library in a cloud. A data file including metadata of the media assets in the media library is stored in the handheld device. The handheld device and the media delivery unit are connected through a wireless communication link. A user of the handheld device is identified. A user selected media asset may be delivered by the media delivery unit by receiving the media asset through the cloud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Inventor: Yang Pan
  • Patent number: 8996652
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for using a cluster-based actor identifier in link aggregation control protocol communications between an actor comprising an intermediary device of a cluster of intermediary devices and a non-cluster aware device. The system and methods include a cluster of intermediary devices in communication with a link aggregation control protocol enabled network device that is unaware of the cluster. A first intermediary device of the cluster generates an actor identifier, based on a cluster identifier that identifies the cluster, for each of the intermediary devices of the cluster to use as a system identifier for link aggregation control protocol communications and one or more intermediary devices transmit to the network device a link aggregation control protocol data unit that advertises the actor identifier as the system identifier for establishing a link aggregation between the cluster and the network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Narendra Kataria, Sandhya Gopinath