Call Source Identification Patents (Class 379/88.19)
  • Patent number: 9164665
    Abstract: A hardware device outputs management information relating to an event that occurs in a managed object. A management information processing unit generates charts for displaying the management information relating to the event. A management screen editing unit generates a management screen for managing a state of the managed object using the charts generated by the management information processing unit. The management screen editing unit further sets a significance of each of the charts generated; generates a first management screen for selecting one of a plurality of chart groups relating to the event that occurs in the managed object; generates a second management screen for displaying a chart group selected in the first management screen; and provides a special display for a particular chart group that includes a chart whose significance is higher than a predetermined threshold, in order to distinguish the particular chart group from other chart groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takumi Kobayashi, Shigeko Mori, Tatsuyuki Shiomi
  • Patent number: 9113131
    Abstract: Systems and methods for covert monitoring and/or recording of audio and/or video in controlled-environment facilities are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method may include capturing at least one of: an audio, a video, or a picture of one or more residents of a controlled-environment facility using a communication device disposed within the controlled-environment facility, where the communication device is not being used in any communication session during at least a portion of the capturing; and storing the at least one of the audio, video, or picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Passe, Luke Keiser
  • Patent number: 9084082
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for timing message notifications to be provided to mobile device users based on their respective geographic locations with respect to a targeted content area. The timing of message notifications may be controlled in order to optimize the chances of delivering targeted content to a mobile device user based on the current geographic location of the user's device relative to a targeted content area. As the particular client application may not be actively executing at a time when the user's device happen to be located within a targeted content area, a general message notification sent to the user's device, which may be displayed at any time, may increase the likelihood that the user will launch the client application when it is not already executing at the device and thereby, allow targeted content to be delivered to the user's mobile device at the appropriate time and location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: AOL INC.
    Inventor: Bryce Barrand
  • Patent number: 9043210
    Abstract: A biometric voice command and control switching device has a microphone assembly for receiving a currently spoken challenge utterance and a reference utterance, and a voice processing circuit for creating electronic signals indicative thereof. The device further includes a memory for storing the electronic signals, and a processor for comparing the electronic signals to determine if there is a match. If there is a match, an interface circuit enables the operable control of the controlled device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Voice Security Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sherrie Adcock, Kent Robinson, Brad Clements, Mark Keith Brockelsby, William Keith Brockelsby
  • Patent number: 9036794
    Abstract: Disclosed is a messaging system that provides additional information to a user device after determining the content of at least some of a message. The messaging system includes a speech to X conversion module which retrieves the additional information based on the content. An input-output module then transmits the message and the additional information to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Amit Mukhopadhyay, Carlos Urrutia-Valdes
  • Patent number: 9026096
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods for facilitating identification of the originator of a communication. A communication is received from a sending device. Sending device identification information is requested from a distributed contact database fashioned from the contact databases of the communication devices in a group of communication devices. If the sending device identification information is available at a given communication device, it is received from the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Core Wireless Licensing, S.a.r.l.
    Inventor: Yanqing Cui
  • Patent number: 9025740
    Abstract: Security is improved in a communication system in which a communication connection is established when a user who has received a software button on his computing device (a Recipient) clicks on the button. When a Recipient first actuates a software button, a basic type of communication connection is established, during which the Recipient's identity can be verified. The Recipient then establishes a personal identification code, which he will have to provide upon future actuations of the software button. The system then enables other types of communication connections to be established by the Recipient. After the Recipient actuates the software button and verifies his identity, the system remembers the identity and location of the computing device he is using. When the Recipient subsequently actuates the software button, the identity and location of his computing device are checked, and verification of his identity is suppressed if they have not changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Bellmar Communications LLC
    Inventors: Kai Y. Eng, Pramod Pancha
  • Patent number: 9025749
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium for establishing communication between two devices comprises connecting, by a first computer, to an open source Private Branch Exchange (PBX) platform via a port, receiving a phone number sent by a first one of the two devices at the open source PBX platform, invoking an interface module by the open source PBX platform, where the interface module resides on the open source PBX platform, and building a Calling Name request by the interface module related to the received phone number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Open Invention Network, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin V. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9014356
    Abstract: A computer readable storage medium storing computer readable program code, the code configured to provide caller identification information to a called party when standard Caller ID cannot be provided. If standard caller ID information cannot be provided for a call, the call is interrupted by the present service and the calling party is prompted for audible caller identification information. In one embodiment, when the audible caller identification is provided, the call is presented to the called party with a distinctive ring at the called telephone station. In another embodiment, the calling party may enter a personal identification number (PIN) to bypass the requirement for audible caller identification information. In still another embodiment, when the PIN is entered, the call is presented with a distinctive ring at the called communication station. In still another embodiment, the called party may send the incoming call to a voice mail system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Teresa Farias Latter, John Wesley Moss, Thomas Joseph McBlain, James Thomas Maciejewski, Mary Louise Hardzinski
  • Patent number: 9014359
    Abstract: An analyzer resource receives call information about outbound phone calls from multiple phone numbers to target phone numbers in a phone network. The analyzer resource analyzes the call information to detect likely unwanted call activity. Based on the analyzing, the analyzer resource produces a list of phone numbers from which one or more entities originate unwanted calls to the subscribers in the phone network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
    Inventors: Howard Leigh Pfeffer, Matthew John Cannon, Jeffrey James Lindsay
  • Patent number: 9008284
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for authenticating an individual. A representation of an utterance is received. A candidate record is identified from among a plurality of candidate records by comparing the representation of the utterance with stored utterance data according to a match parameter. An identity of the individual is verified by comparing received ambiguity information with stored ambiguity resolution criteria. If a candidate record is not found, a new record associated with the individual may be created. The individual may be allowed access to a secured resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ochopee Big Cypress LLC
    Inventors: Sanford J. Morganstein, Sergey Zaks
  • Patent number: 9001980
    Abstract: Measures for the communication of data with respect to at least two different user devices in a data communications network. Establishing a communications session for the communication of data to and/or from the at least two different user devices, receiving, on the basis of user input at one of the at least two different user devices, an identifier identifying one or more downloadable resources, generating a transmissible identifier based at least in part on the received identifier, the transmissible identifier being operable to initiate the download of the one or more downloadable resources using the transmissible identifier, and to associate a predetermined identity with the download, and enabling the download of the one or more downloadable resources to another of the at least two different user devices using the transmissible identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Metaswitch Networks Ltd.
    Inventors: Philip Pearl, Liz Rice
  • Publication number: 20150078540
    Abstract: Systems and methods for recycling contact numbers are presented. A service provider receives a disconnect request for a device associated with a contact number. The system retrieves and stores the device's contact list and/or communication history. One or more messages are created and stored. The contact number is placed in a pool of recycled numbers and mapped to the stored information, and may later be assigned to a second device. Subsequently, when a call is made over the service provider's network, the called number is compared with numbers in the pool. If a match is found, the system retrieves the stored contact list and/or communication history, and compares the calling number to numbers in the contact list and/or communication history. If a match is found, the system retrieves and plays the message to inform the calling party that the number they are trying to reach has been re-assigned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Kunthunathan Virushabadoss, Jithesh C. Parambath
  • Publication number: 20150071420
    Abstract: The present invention allows a user to screen messages being left at a hosted voicemail system from a telephone terminal. Incoming calls intended for the telephone terminal are routed to the voicemail system immediately or after attempting to connect incoming call to the telephone terminal. As the caller is leaving a message at the voicemail system, a connection between the incoming call, voicemail system, and telephone terminal is established to allow the user to listen to the message and decide whether to take the call. The user may decide to take the call or let the caller finish leaving the message. In one embodiment, the telephone terminal is equipped to open only the speaker channel for monitoring the message and will provide a fully bi-directional connection if the user takes the call. The supporting switch and telephone terminal communicate with each other to facilitate the monitoring and taking of calls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventor: Samuel Christie, IV
  • Patent number: 8971934
    Abstract: A mechanism is described for facilitating real-time customization of messages to be transmitted between computing systems according to one embodiment of the invention. A method of embodiments of the invention includes receiving a notification relating to call made to a first computing device from a second computing device. The call may remain unanswered. The method may further include accessing a first data relating to a current status of the first computing device, analyzing the first data, and customizing, in real-time, a response based on the analyzed first data. The method may further include transmitting the customized response to the second computing device, in response to the unanswered call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jim S. Baca, Lama Nachman, Burges M. Karkaria, Horst W. Haussecker
  • Patent number: 8964951
    Abstract: The present invention is related to telecommunications, and in particular to systems and methods of using telecommunication services for user authentication. Account information is stored for a user, the account information including at least a first phone number associated with the user. A user order is received. A verification phone call is received from the user, the call including charge phone number information. The charge number information is compared to the first phone number to authenticate that the user is associated with the first phone number. Based at least in part on the comparison, the user order is selectively caused to be fulfilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Callwave Communications, LLC
    Inventors: David Brahm, David Trandal
  • Patent number: 8953750
    Abstract: Various aspects are described that may provide various communications services. These services may provide for the ability of a user to initiate or request a communication with a third party, such as an emergency service party or a vendor, using a network-coupled device that may be pre-associated with a physical address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Franklyn Athias
  • Patent number: 8923281
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to perform call screening in a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) network are disclosed. Disclosed example methods include receiving a call screening termination message at a feature server of an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem, initiating a communication session between a first user device operable with the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem and a second user device operable with the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem in response to the call screening termination message, the first and second user devices being involved in a call screening session, and releasing a signaling resource of a messaging server, the signaling resource having been used in the call screening session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: James Jackson, Niral S. Sheth, Philip Cunetto
  • Patent number: 8917843
    Abstract: An indication of an incoming call may be received at a call control unit communicatively coupled to, and/or resident within, a telephone. The indication may include identification information for the incoming call. It may be determined whether additional information regarding a caller associated with the identification information exists, and if so, a first operation may be performed on the incoming call responsively to the additional information, otherwise, a second operation may be performed on the incoming call responsively to an absence of the additional information. The additional information my include a user-configurable list of desired callers (e.g., a whitelist) and/or undesired callers (e.g., a blacklist). The additional information may also include caller identification information and/or a spam score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Kedlin Company, LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin Sharpe
  • Patent number: 8913721
    Abstract: A telecommunication system is arranged between a trusted automated interactive system and a non-secure agent. The trusted automated interactive portion is operable for bidirectional communications with a caller. The agent portion is arranged to be bridged onto a communication connection between the caller (or network chat user) and the trusted interactive system under certain conditions. Sensitive data transmitted between the system and a calling user may be blocked from being communicated to the agent even while the agent is bridged onto the connection. In one embodiment, information (such as a verification of authenticity of the caller) pertaining to the sensitive data (but not the sensitive data itself) is communicated to the agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Intervoice Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Anantha Narayanan, Ellis K. Cave, Bogdan Blaszczak, Justin Broughton, Mohan Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 8891738
    Abstract: A method of processing telephone voice output is applied in an electronic device with telephone function. When any one of the two communicators is a hearing-impaired user, at least one of the electronic devices will obtain the corresponding voice adjustment parameters according to the receiver identification of the hearing-impaired user. Therefore, the voice adjusting program is able to process the voice in advance based on the voice adjustment parameters to help the hearing-impaired user hear better.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Inventor: Kuo-Ping Yang
  • Patent number: 8885797
    Abstract: A system enables voice authentication via a network. The system may include an intelligent voice response engine operatively coupled to the network for receiving transaction or access requests from a plurality of telecommunications devices over the network. A speech recognition and verification services engine may be operatively coupled to the network and a database may be operatively coupled to the speech recognition and verification services engine for storing user voice print profiles. The speech recognition and verification services engine may receive a speaker verification call from the intelligent voice response engine and perform speaker verification on the received speaker verification call based on the stored user voice print profiles. The speech recognition and verification services engine may generate a verification score based upon results of the speaker verification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Paul T. Schultz
  • Patent number: 8867716
    Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for providing telephone number sharing services to subscribers over public switched telephone network or data network. The disclosed system maintains a bank of reusable caller identifiers (IDs). The system receives call details of a call from a subscriber of the system. The call details include a caller identifier (ID) preference of the subscriber and a called number corresponding to the called party. The system stores the call details in a database. The system determines whether the call from the subscriber is a first call to the called number. In response to the call being the first call to the called number, the system assigns a call ID from the bank of reusable caller IDs that satisfies the reusable caller ID preference of the subscriber, and connects the call to the called number along with the caller ID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: MagicJack VocalTec., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daniel Borislow, Gregory Lynn Wood
  • Patent number: 8867709
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for the identification of the mode of a telephony device in a network are provided. A call initiation signal is received from a mode-identifying telephony device. The call initiation signal is used to communicate with a mode-selecting telephony device. Thereafter, the mode at the mode-selecting telephony device is detected and an answer mode signal, including the information regarding the answering mode of the mode-selecting telephony device, is sent to the mode-identifying telephony device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Cisco Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: B. Raghavendra Rao
  • Patent number: 8855272
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system for implementing a CLIP service, which includes: a resource storage entity used for storing multimedia resources subscribed by a calling terminal; a resource playing entity used for downloading the multimedia resources from the resource storage entity and playing the multimedia resources; a CLIP service management entity used for obtaining a storage address of the multimedia resources and sending the storage address of the multimedia resources to the resource playing entity. Embodiments of the present invention further provide a method and apparatus for implementing the CLIP service. The system, method and apparatus for implementing the CLIP service in the embodiments of the present invention enable the calling terminal to subscribe to the multimedia resources for a called terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Inventergy, Inc.
    Inventor: Junxian Zhao
  • Patent number: 8849265
    Abstract: A mobile personal-computing device may categorize a selected contact by collecting from the user information related to the selected contact's behavior and/or personality style. After obtaining communication hints for effectively communicating with similarly categorized individuals. The mobile personal-computing device modifies a remote or local contacts database such that when the user communicates with the selected contact, the mobile personal-computing device will automatically provide the communication hints to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Effectiveness Institute, Inc.
    Inventor: Clifford Chirls
  • Patent number: 8849262
    Abstract: A user can have a contract with a mobile communication provider such that a limited number of communication minutes can be used overall or a limited number of minutes can be used with other providers. When incoming call identification information is disclosed, additional information can be presented relating to the contract, such as what provider the incoming call uses and how many free minutes the user has with an incoming provider. The user, in determining if the incoming communication should be engaged, can employ the additional information and make an appropriate decision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Kushang Desai, Shailesh Maheshwari
  • Patent number: 8837690
    Abstract: An architecture and method of voicemail based on session initiated protocol presence and location information of a callee is disclosed. A method of providing voicemail includes determining a location and a presence of a callee, and playing a customized voicemail greeting to a caller based on preferences defined by the callee and also based on at least one of the location and the presence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pramodh D. Narayan, Sri Ramanathan, Matthew A. Terry, Matthew B. Trevathan
  • Patent number: 8830878
    Abstract: Techniques are described for better ensuring that calls or transmissions directed to a subscriber or endpoint to which a number was previously assigned are not received by a new subscriber or endpoint. According to one class of implementations, a telephony platform maintains a registry that associates a secondary identifier with each phone number that is currently assigned to a subscriber. The identifier may point to and/or include any of a variety of information that maps to the current subscriber. When a calling party initiates a call to an assigned number, an additional identifier is transmitted with the call routing information that corresponds to the entity or endpoint to which the call is directed. The telephony platform makes call routing decisions based on the correspondence of this information with the information maintained in the registry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: RingCentral, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher van Rensburg
  • Patent number: 8825470
    Abstract: A system and method of providing a response with different language options for a data communication protocol, such as Session Initiation Protocol, are disclosed. For example, data communication is controlled between at least two endpoints. A response code indicative of a condition of the data communication is transmitted to one of the at least two endpoints. The response code is associated with a reason phrase operable to be displayed at the one of the at least two endpoints in a language selected from an option of a plurality of languages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Mallikarjuna Samayamantry Rao, Dennis Kucmerowski
  • Patent number: 8818344
    Abstract: A method and system for collecting and verifying the location information of a calling party and a device of the calling party is provided. More specifically, a method and system is provided for determining whether the identity of the calling party can be confirmed, via evaluating location information, with an acceptable degree of certainty. The location information may be provided by the calling party or obtained from various sources over a digital communication channel. Some of the provided location information which can be accidentally or intentionally altered is identified and evaluated to determine its accuracy as part of the verification process of the caller's identity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Scott C Forbes, Linda Criddle, David Milstein, Lon-Chan Chu, Kuansan Wang, Michael D Malueg
  • Patent number: 8817063
    Abstract: Methods and systems for voice and video messaging are provided here. In some embodiments a method for voice and video messaging may include establishing a telecommunication session with a calling device associated with a first user in response to an indication that a call request from the calling device directed to a called identifier associated with a second user failed, providing to the calling device an option to leave a video message and an option to leave an audio message, receiving a selection from the calling device indicating the selection of the option to leave a video message, disconnecting the established telecommunication session, and receiving a video message from the calling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Vonage Network LLC
    Inventors: Marc Lefar, Weiping Guo, Kai Xin, Joseph Guo, Arthur Wilton, Boaz Zehavi
  • Patent number: 8805347
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for identifying a caller after receiving a missed call from a calling device that is not associated with the caller. An exemplary method involves obtaining an audio message from the caller, recognizing the caller as being a first contact of the called individual by matching an audio sample associated with the first contact to at least a portion of the audio message, and graphically indicating an association between the first contact and the missed call after recognizing the first contact as the caller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Mark R. Lemke, Ramy S. Ayoub
  • Patent number: 8781091
    Abstract: A system and method deliver audible caller identification information when standard Caller ID information is invalid or cannot be provided. In one disclosed embodiment, the Caller ID information must include a valid number of digits and a valid area code. If the Caller ID information is not valid, a calling party is prompted by an announcement to provide the audible caller identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: John Wesley Moss, James Daniel Kovarik, Kenneth Robert Stroud, Rick Anthony Cherye
  • Patent number: 8781084
    Abstract: A device is configured to receive a request for a first user, of a first telephone device, to leave a voice mail message for a second user of a second telephone device; retrieve a profile associated with the second telephone device and to determine, based on the profile, whether the second telephone device is registered for a selective voice mail service; determine, based on the profile, whether the first user is allowed to leave the voice mail message when the second telephone device is registered for the selective voice mail service; and allow the first user to leave the voice mail message for the second user of the second telephone device when the second telephone device is not registered for the selective voice mail service or when the first user is allowed to leave the voice mail message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Emerando Delos Reyes, Benjamin J. Parker, Samir Ait-Ameur
  • Patent number: 8774390
    Abstract: A system for handling a telephone call within a telephone network, comprising a multi-tenanted CTI server within a telecommunications network adapted to receive telephone calls on behalf of a plurality of outlets, wherein the CTI server is adapted for queuing an incoming call in the network when no agent is available and is further adapted to forward an incoming call to an agent when the agent becomes available. The CTI server is configured to use an indicia received with the received call to identify the caller and to retrieve a profile of the caller by matching the indicia to a previously-stored indicia in a call history database collocated with the CTI server, the profile comprising at least a plurality of previous orders processed by an outlet on behalf of the caller, the profile being used to provide priority call handling for certain callers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: NewVoiceMedia Limited
    Inventors: Richard Pickering, Ashley Unitt, Jonathan Grant, Anthony Buxton
  • Patent number: 8774372
    Abstract: A system and method for extracting and presenting useful data from calls received by a client is disclosed. The resulting “telephone call inbox” is a way for a client view pay per call advertising as a stream of consumers with information available to understand the call activity of the consumers and for the client to navigate their call history. The system automatically filters non-consumer fraudulent calls, extracts the identity of a consumer, aggregates several calling entities into a single consumer, transcribes the call into a call stream using voice recognition software, extracts patterns and draws conclusions from the call stream, and presents a list of call streams in a user friendly set of web pages configured as the telephone call inbox. The telephone call inbox includes, for each call, the caller ID, one or more key words, phrases or major conclusions concerning the call, and the voice recognized call stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Felix Call, LLC
    Inventors: Brent D. Metz, Sean MacIsaac, Kevin Caffrey, Howard Lerman
  • Patent number: 8774380
    Abstract: Methods and systems for managing a call in real-time are disclosed. Methods and systems consistent with the present invention manage a call in real-time based on input from a user. A service center receives information pertaining to a call to the user from a service control point and sends a notification of the call to a device associated with the user. The service center receives a response to the notification from the user. Thereafter, the service center instructs the service control point to connect the call based on the response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc., Verizon Services Corp., Verizon Data Services LLC
    Inventors: Robert A Chingon, Stephen P Brennan, Christopher L Helbling, Nagendra Kunuturi, Ravi Penumatsa, Mahesh Rajagopalan, Craig L Reding, John R Reformato, John H. Wurster, Sandeep Chakraverty, Byron M Pinto
  • Patent number: 8761725
    Abstract: A method for performing a telecommunication service, including identifying, on a Service Delivery Platform (SDP) and by a processor, the telecommunication service, selecting, on the SDP and by the processor, the telecommunication service, and executing, on the SDP and by the processor, the telecommunication service on a cellular network, where the SDP is configured to implement the telecommunication service on the cellular network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Telecomax Group
    Inventors: Amr Assem, Wael Metwally, Mohamed Abd El Wahab, Hisham Sabry
  • Patent number: 8750482
    Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with the present invention screen calls. A first server receives information pertaining to a call to a user from a calling party. The first server then determines whether a real-time call management function is enabled for the user and determines whether a calling party number associated with the calling party is valid when the realtime call management function is not enabled. A call screening function is performed when the calling party number is invalid. The first server provides a notification of the call to a device associated with the user when the real-time call management function is enabled. A second server initiates the call screening function when the user selects a call screening option included in the notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignees: Verizon Data Services LLC, Telesector Resources Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Chingon, Shadman Zafar, Craig L. Reding, Christopher L. Helbling, John R. Reformato
  • Patent number: 8750846
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an incoming call to an incoming call subscriber terminal of a mobile communication system. A Mobility Management Entity (MME) receives the incoming call for the incoming call subscriber terminal from an outgoing call terminal, analyzes a type of the incoming call subscriber to determine whether a call restriction is required for incoming calls to the incoming call subscriber terminal, determines whether an outgoing call number of the outgoing call terminal is one of previously registered call-allowed numbers, if the call restriction is required; and pages the incoming call subscriber terminal, if the outgoing call number is one of the previously registered call-allowed numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Soo Deok Choi
  • Patent number: 8750468
    Abstract: In one or more embodiments, one or more methods and/or systems described can transform an inbound call into one or more call streams and/or call states that can include at least one of a contextualized or personalized message, a promotion, a coupon, an offer, a voucher, an advertisement, and an opt-in program, among others. For example, the one or more methods and/or systems described can perform: receiving identification information associated with a telephony device; determining, based on the identification information, a message for the user; and sending the message to the telephony device. For instance, the message can include a coupon or discount for a good or service. In one example, the coupon or discount can be sent via a short message service text message. In another example, the coupon or discount can include a computer-readable image that can be sent via a multimedia messaging service message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: CallSpace, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Manley, Craig Fryar, Michael Lee, Carmichael J. Simon, William C. Archibald
  • Patent number: 8750469
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for processing calls. A call is received at a softswitch or other call processing system from a caller intended for a first subscriber. The first call is associated with signaling information, the signaling information including a phone number associated with the caller. A determination is made as to whether the first subscriber has previously received a call associated with the caller phone number at the softswitch. If the first subscriber has not previously received a call associated with the caller phone number at the softswitch, a first message is played to the caller. An indication that the first message was played to the caller is stored in association with an account record associated with the first subscriber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Callwave Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Adrian Van Haaften, David Giannini, Eric Johnson, David F. Hofstatter, David S. Trandal, Robert Duva, Robert F. Smith, John R. Day
  • Patent number: 8744499
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a mobile terminal (10), which comprises: a storage module (101), configured to store a linked list that includes a service ID and a reception time of a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) notification message, and a maximum length of the linked list; an inquiry module (102), configured to inquire whether there is a service ID identical with a service ID of a received MMS notification message in the linked list when the MMS notification message is received; a length determination module (103), configured to determine whether a length of the linked list is smaller than the maximum length when there is no service ID of the received MMS notification message in the linked list; a time difference determination module (104), configured to determine whether the time difference between the reception time and the last node in the linked list is greater than the time difference between the first node and the last node in the linked list when the length of the linked list is smaller than the maximu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventor: Gang Cao
  • Patent number: 8737586
    Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for providing telephone number sharing services to subscribers over public switched telephone network or data network. The disclosed system maintains a bank of reusable caller identifiers (IDs). The system receives call details of a call from a subscriber of the system. The call details include a caller identifier (ID) preference of the subscriber and a called number corresponding to the called party. The system stores the call details in a database. The system determines whether the call from the subscriber is a first call to the called number. In response to the call being the first call to the called number, the system assigns a call ID from the bank of reusable caller IDs that satisfies the reusable caller ID preference of the subscriber, and connects the call to the called number along with the caller ID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: MagicJack Vocaltec., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daniel Borislow, Gregory Lynn Wood
  • Patent number: 8724785
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of associating first data identifying a first party with second data to allow future recognition of the first party, including the steps of: conducting a telephone call with the first party; storing second data derived from the telephone call with the first party, the second data being different to the first data and characterizing a feature of the first party to allow future recognition of the first party; and associating the first data with the second data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Core Wireless Licensing S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: Jussi Severi Uusitalo
  • Patent number: 8718243
    Abstract: The present invention relates to telecommunications, and in particular, to systems and processes for processing telephone calls and providing telephony services. In one embodiment, a call processing system, compromises a first telephony interface configured to receive a call from a caller, a storage device configured to store a greeting, and a call answering system. The call answering system is configured to play the greeting in response to receiving the call, record a voice message from the caller, determine when the caller has completed recording the voice message, after determining that the caller has completed recording the voice message, play a prompt regarding the caller becoming a subscriber to call services provided by the call processing system, receive from the caller information used to establish a call services account, and establish a call services account for the caller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Callwave Communications, LLC
    Inventors: David Trandal, Robert Duva, Robert F. Smith, John R. Day
  • Patent number: 8699675
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for exchanging information in a voice communication system, which includes a first communication device establishing a communication connection with a second communication device, and the first communication device exchanging digital data with the second communication device for achieving a specific function in a specific interval; wherein the specific interval is an interval that the first communication device does not exchange voice signals with the second communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Shao-Fong Chen, Sheng-Ta Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8681952
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to selectively provide communication connections based on an automated procedure to test whether a caller is a human or a machine. One embodiment includes: receiving at a connection server a telephone call from a caller; presenting a message to the caller in response to the telephone call; receiving from the caller a response to the message; and comparing the received response with a predetermined response to determine whether the caller is a human or a machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ingenio LLC
    Inventors: Anuj Agarwal, Ebbe Altberg, Scott Faber, Ron Hirson, Sean Van Der Linden
  • Patent number: RE44951
    Abstract: A method and communication system is provided to identify a calling/called party when the call is being set up but before the call is answered. In the method, a first terminal and a second terminal are respectively provided with opposing terminal's image data before the call is answered. The image data of the first and second terminals can be registered in a media server disposed between the first and second terminals, and the image data can be transmitted between the first terminal and the media server and between the second terminal and the media server in accordance with an SIP protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Soo Lee, Yong Kyoung Shin