Search Patents
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING EMERGENCY CALLS TO A DISABLED ENDPOINT DEVICE
    Publication number: 20120164967
    Abstract: The present invention enables the remote activation of a device by a packet-switched service, e.g., VoIP network service for the purposes of receiving calls identified as urgent from a pre-identified calling party when the device is disabled. The present invention enables registered users to select the calling parties they wish to receive emergency calls from.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING SPECIAL CALL HANDLING FOR VALUED CUSTOMERS OF RETAILERS
    Publication number: 20100316200
    Abstract: The present invention enables users of a network service to register with the network as valued shoppers, thereby allowing them to receive specialized treatment when calling registered retailers. The present invention enables retailers to register with the network, thereby allowing them to set preferred service logic for handling valued customer calls by the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Marian CROAK, Hossein ESLAMBOLCHI
  • Method and apparatus for providing shared services
    Patent number: 7664099
    Abstract: The present invention enables an overlay capability to be invoked on network systems and elements that are designed to support multiple customer bases. Depending on the registered identification of the user, screens and other user interfaces that provide access to functions can be overlaid on the network component and segmented along customer classifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Method and apparatus for enabling dynamic protocol interworking resolution with diverse endpoints
    Publication number: 20060233159
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling an edge component, e.g., a Border Element (BE), on a packet network to be endpoint aware is disclosed. Information contained in the BE regarding the endpoint enables it to consult stored protocol configurations that facilitate the dynamic resolution of interworking issues and adjust for service differences in endpoint support based on dynamic protocol interworking resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENABLING PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ENDPOINTS ON A PER CALL BASIS
    Publication number: 20090316691
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a user to signal to the network that a call to be initiated or a call that is in progress needs to occur in a peer-to-peer relationship with the terminating endpoint. The network will then remove itself from the call signaling and media path and direct the signaling and media communication to occur directly between the two endpoints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Method and apparatus for enabling the detection of transparent defects
    Patent number: 7369506
    Abstract: The present invention enables the network to determine the true state of events that appear normal but produce service disruptions by periodically probing the status of all network elements and endpoints and comparing this status to historical graphs of the network. Events that deviate from a historical view will be alarmed to determine their true status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMICALLY PROVIDING COMFORT NOISE
    Publication number: 20100098064
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically enabling the activation and deactivation of comfort noise over a VoIP media path or channel are disclosed. The present method detects all sound levels in the media path and only activates the comfort noise in the absence of sound and when the background noise level or the telephone line noise level is low rather than only in the absence of speech.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Inventors: MARIAN CROAK, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Method and apparatus for maintaining active calls during failover of network elements
    Patent number: 8593939
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for keeping transitory state in a packet network so that in the event of a failover of a network element, existing active calls can be quickly re-established by the packet network or briefly held in a suspended state until the affected network element returns to a healthy state is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Method and apparatus for notifying the calling party about the status of the called endpoint
    Publication number: 20060182257
    Abstract: The present invention enables a packet-switched network, e.g., a VoIP network, to play a network announcement as to the true status of a subscribed residential user on busy or unanswered conditions. The called party can subscribe to this service feature so that callers, the calling parties, will be informed that either the user is busy or that the user is not present to receive a call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GRAPHICALLY DISPLAYING CALL SIGNALING FLOWS IN A NETWORK
    Publication number: 20090052335
    Abstract: A method and system for graphically displaying call signaling flows for a communications network is described. In one example, a call flow alarm indicating an improper call signaling flow for a call is received. A respective projected call signaling flow associated with the call is then obtained. Lastly, the improper call signaling flow and the respective projected call signaling flow are graphically displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SENDING ALERTS TO INTERNET PROTOCOL PHONES
    Publication number: 20100098068
    Abstract: The present invention enables an alert message and the display of calling party identity on all on-hook phones associated with an extension sharing the same phone number, when one phone is off-hook and in use. In one exemplary embodiment, this capability enables all other members of a household to receive information regarding an incoming call even when one phone is in use by another member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Inventors: MARIAN CROAK, HOSSEIN ESLAMBOLCHI
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING AUTOMATIC CRANKBACK FOR EMERGENCY CALLS
    Publication number: 20090052633
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automating test procedures to determine if non-emergency signaling message processing errors impact emergency calls, e.g., E911 calls, are disclosed. In one embodiment, the present method alerts network engineers so that crankback procedures to alternative routes can be instituted when these E911 call impacting error conditions are detected in a network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Method and apparatus for automated calendar selections
    Patent number: 7411942
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reserving an appointment in a communications network is described. In one embodiment, a request is received from a caller to schedule an appointment with an enterprise customer, wherein the request is processed in accordance with a media server in the communications network. A scheduling calendar is then accessed. Afterwards, the appointment is reserved with one of a plurality available appointment time slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING INTERNET PROTOCOL CALL SIGNALING NETWORK ASSURANCE
    Publication number: 20130242724
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for alarming on all signaling protocol messages that fail in substantial numbers on any particular routes within an IP network are disclosed. For example, upon receiving these alarms, the network will attempt to identify, and to correct the error producing conditions to prevent further call signaling message failures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossien Eslambolchi
  • Method and apparatus for provisioning financial data
    Patent number: 8954352
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing financial data utilizing a communications network is described. In one embodiment, provisioning access is provided to a plurality of unrelated financial entities. The financial data received from the plurality of unrelated financial entities are stored in a secure data store, e.g., a secure network based mailbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENABLING AUTO-TICKETING FOR ENDPOINT DEVICES
    Publication number: 20120076004
    Abstract: A method and system for transmitting data corresponding to at least one endpoint device problem in a packet communications network is described. Specifically, an endpoint device detects at least one problem that pertains to the endpoint device. The endpoint device then generates data pertaining to the endpoint device problem. Lastly, the endpoint device then transmits the data detailing that endpoint device problem to the packet communications network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Method and apparatus for dynamically calculating the capacity of a packet network
    Publication number: 20060291477
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for calculating the engineered capacity of a packet network is described. In one example, subscriber usage data is collected from the packet network. The engineered capacity is then updated using the usage data on a periodic basis. In another example, the engineered capacity is subsequently compared with the actual network usage. Afterwards, an alarm is triggered if the actual network usage reaches a predefined threshold of the engineered capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING SPECIAL CALL HANDLING FOR VALUED CUSTOMERS OF RETAILERS
    Publication number: 20130343533
    Abstract: The present invention enables users of a network service to register with the network as valued shoppers, thereby allowing them to receive specialized treatment when calling registered retailers. The present invention enables retailers to register with the network, thereby allowing them to set preferred service logic for handling valued customer calls by the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Method and apparatus for providing emergency calls to a disabled endpoint device
    Patent number: 7522717
    Abstract: The present invention enables the remote activation of a device by a packet-switched service, e.g., VoIP network service for the purposes of receiving calls identified as urgent from a pre-identified calling party when the device is disabled. The present invention enables registered users to select the calling parties they wish to receive emergency calls from.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Method and apparatus for correlating non-critical alarms with potential service disrupting events
    Publication number: 20090002156
    Abstract: The present invention enables the correlation of low-level alarms across a specified period of time to determine if the aggregation of such alarms is a harbinger of an impending customer impacting service disruption. The low level alarms can be mapped against historical trends of other conditions that preceded other service disruptions as a predictor of the likelihood of an impending re-occurrence of such an event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
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