Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080299978 | Extending RF coverage areas for cellular telephones using base stations with ultra-wide band signaling - An exemplary method provides cellular communications for handsets capable of communications using a conventional RF communication mode and a second ultra-wide band RF communication mode. An RF voice communication link is established between the handset and a base station using the conventional communication mode. A decrease in signal strength of the RF link is detected to be at a level at which a hand-off should be made. No other base stations utilizing the conventional communication mode have an acceptable signal strength level with the handset to support a hand-off from the base station. Another base station using the ultra-wide band second communication mode has an acceptable signal strength level with the handset to support a hand-off from the current base station. A hand-off of the voice communication link with the handset is made from the current base station to the other base station, where the handset changes from using the conventional RF communication mode to the ultra-wide band RF communication mode. | 12-04-2008 |
20080311887 | Network support for voice mail preemption - An apparatus in one example has: a mobile terminal operatively coupled to a mobile switching center; a subscriber database operatively coupled to the mobile switching center; a first terminal operatively coupled to the mobile switching center; a voice mail system operatively coupled to the mobile switching center; and a voice mail functionality whereby a voice mail message is created from the first terminal, and whereby the first terminal is accessible from a mobile terminal at least during a period in which the voice mail message is being created. | 12-18-2008 |
20080311890 | IMS network support for remote video recording and access - A method in one example has: registering remotely controlled devices and terminals of subscribers with at least one remote service server in an IMS network, the remotely controlled devices having respective IMS clients, and the terminals of the subscribers having respective IMS clients; and allowing the terminals of the subscribers to interface with respective remotely controlled devices via the IMS network. A subscriber is able to control a remote video recording device, for example, change channels, view scheduled programs, schedule recording, view a previously recorded program or a program currently being aired via the IMS network. | 12-18-2008 |
20080311898 | Network support for swimming pool monitoring and control - An apparatus in one example has: a controllable system having a plurality of controllable parameters; a plurality of sensors for respectively detecting the plurality of controllable parameters, the sensors providing respective sensor data indicative of the plurality of controllable parameter; a control center that is operatively coupled to the controllable system, the control center receiving the sensor data; a communication module in the control center, the communication module having a transceiver that communicates with a mobile terminal in a wireless telecommunication network wherein the communication module sends the sensor data and receives respective control data in response thereto; wherein the control center applies the control data to the controllable system to respectively change the controllable parameters. In one embodiment the controllable system is a swimming pool. | 12-18-2008 |
20080313664 | Method to record, save, and send otherwise non-recordable and copyrighted material - An apparatus in one example has: at least one media source operatively coupled to a controller, the controller selecting at least one media event from the at least one media source; the controller operatively coupled to a telecommunications system having at least one application server; a storage associated with the application server, the at least one media event saved to at least one media event file, an origin of a file content of the at least one media event file, and at least one destination associated with the at least one media event stored on the storage; at least one charge for a sending of the copy of the at least one media event file to the at least one destination; and a royalty fee based on the origin of the at least one media event file. | 12-18-2008 |
20090003265 | IMS NETWORK PROVIDING PURCHASING SESSIONS TO MOBILE DEVICES THAT ARE LOCATED PROXIMATE TO A BUSINESS - IMS networks and methods are disclosed for providing purchasing sessions to mobile devices that are located proximate to a business. IMS network includes an application server that provides advertisements for the business to mobile devices that are located proximate to the business (i.e., the advertisements are pushed to the mobile devices). Responsive to an advertisement, the user of a mobile device may contact the application server through the mobile device to purchase one or more items from the business. The application server responds to the mobile device with receipt information for the purchase. The user may then request delivery of the purchased item through the mobile device by transmitting some or all of the receipt information to the application server. The application server may then schedule delivery of the item to the user of the mobile device. | 01-01-2009 |
20090003363 | System and methods for providing service-specific support for multimedia traffic in wireless networks - A system for providing service-specific support for multimedia traffic in a telecommunications system comprises a subscriber terminal, a base station operatively coupled to the subscriber terminal, a mobile switching center (MSC) operatively coupled to the base station, a media gateway control function (MGCF) and a media gateway (MGW), each coupled to the MSC. The subscriber terminal is adapted to generate multimedia traffic of at least one service category, wherein the multimedia traffic may be any of several distinct types defined within the service category. The subscriber terminal is further adapted to identify, when establishing a connection to the MSC to carry multimedia traffic, the type of that traffic in a connection request message. The MSC is adapted to further identify, when establishing a connection between the MSC and the MGCF/MGW to carry multimedia traffic, the type of that traffic in a message, responsive to the identification of the traffic type in the connection request message. The MGCF/MGW are adapted to identify, when converting, reformatting, or encapsulating multimedia traffic into a form to be carried over a packet network (for example, in TCP segments), the type of traffic being carried. The MGCF, MGW, or MSC may optionally perform service-specific processing on the multimedia traffic responsive to the traffic type indicator. When multimedia traffic is delivered to a destination network for ultimate delivery to a destination endpoint, an MGCF/MGW may reverse the effects of prior service-specific processing. | 01-01-2009 |
20090006556 | ASSIGNING TAGS TO NETWORK ADDRESSES FOR SUBSEQUENT RETRIEVAL OF THE NETWORK ADDRESSES - Systems and methods are provided for assigning a tag, such as a short name, to a network address of a web page for ease in subsequent retrieval of the web page. A user of a browser application may enter a tag responsive to which the browser application associates the tag with a network address of a web page. The browser application then transmits the tag and the network address to a tag server that stores the tag as assigned to the network address. At a subsequent time, a user may enter the tag into a browser application to retrieve the network address that is associated with the tag. The browser application transmits the tag to the tag server to retrieve the network address associated with the tag. The browser application may then display the web page that is associated with the retrieved network address. | 01-01-2009 |
20090036186 | Interactive real world gaming supported over internet protocol multimedia subsystem - A method is provided for administering an interactive real world game in which a player ( | 02-05-2009 |
20090037962 | Alternate link on-demand instant replay supported via an internet protocol multimedia subsystem - The present specification discloses is a method for providing a viewer ( | 02-05-2009 |
20090089439 | COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A REAL WORLD ENVIRONMENT AND A VIRTUAL WORLD ENVIRONMENT - Gateway systems and methods are disclosed for allowing for communication between a real world environment and a virtual world environment. A gateway system in one embodiment is implemented between the virtual world environment and the real world environment. For a session being initiated from a real world user to a virtual world user, the gateway system receives a signaling message from the real world user to initiate the session with the virtual world user, and processes the signaling message to identify a virtual world identifier assigned to the virtual world user. The gateway system converts the signaling message to a communication request message in a protocol used in the virtual world environment, and transmits the communication request message to the virtual world user to establish the session. When the session is established, the virtual world user and the real world user may communicate via voice and/or data. | 04-02-2009 |
20090156232 | Mobile telephone with distance measurement and data collection capability - An exemplary wireless mobile telephone includes a transmitter and receiver module for transmitting and receiving radio communications, and a display screen. A mechanism acquires linear distance measurements to objects within line of sight of the wireless mobile telephone. A graphical representation of a structure having elements to be measured is stored in memory. A microprocessing unit operating under the control of software stores in the memory a plurality of the linear distance measurements, where each stored linear distance measurement is associated with a corresponding element of the graphical representation as shown on the display screen. This enables areas defined by a pair of such elements to be calculated. | 06-18-2009 |
20090181647 | Method and system for network support for optimized paging of communication devices - A method in one application of maintaining a paging status associated with a communication device. The method also comprises paging the communication device based on the paging status. | 07-16-2009 |
20090181716 | Network disabling of mobile phone camera operation - An apparatus in one example has: a predetermined location having at least a wireless communication device, the wireless communication device having a predetermined coverage area; a mobile terminal that communicates with the wireless communication device when the mobile terminal is within the predetermined coverage area; the mobile terminal having a camera and a functionality that selectively disables and enables the camera; and the wireless communication device having a functionality that causes the mobile terminal to disable the camera when the mobile terminal is within the predetermined coverage area, and wherein the mobile terminal effects an enabling of the camera when the mobile terminal leaves the predetermined coverage area. | 07-16-2009 |
20090186606 | VOICE GROUP SESSIONS OVER TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORKS - Telecommunication networks and methods are disclosed for providing a group session service for a plurality of participants. An application server in the telecommunication network receives a plurality of real-time media streams from the participants of the group session, and identifies voice media in the individual media streams. The voice media represents the spoken voice of the participants, and includes talking intervals separated by idle intervals (i.e., pauses in the spoken voice). The application server inputs the talking intervals as audio media elements into an audio media queue in the order received, and also outputs the audio media elements from the audio media queue in the order in which the audio media elements were inputted (i.e., in a first-in-first-out (FIFO) fashion) to generate a collective media stream for the group session. The collected audio stream is then provided to the participants of the group session. | 07-23-2009 |
20090209231 | Method to allow community-identity based communications using mobile phones - An apparatus in one example has: first user equipment having a first set of personal information for use in a community based network, and a second set of personal information for use in a public network; second user equipment having a first set of personal information for use in the community based network, and a second set of personal information for use in the public network; a trusted presence system in an IMS network operatively coupled to the first and second user equipment; and the trusted presence system being structured such that, when the first user equipment is in the community based network places a call to the second user equipment in the public network, the second set of personal information of the second user equipment is withheld from the first user equipment at least during call setup. | 08-20-2009 |
20090219953 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ALLOWING NON-IP BASED NETWORKS TO INTERACT WITH IPTV-BASED SYSTEMS - A method of allowing a non-IP-based network to interact with an IPTV-based network is provided. The method comprises: receiving an indication at an IPTV Mediation Application Server (IPTV Mediation AS) that a subscriber to IPTV service is watching television, wherein the television is connected to an IPTV set-top box (IPTV STB) in a home viewing network; receiving a call from a caller directed to a circuit-switched communication device of the subscriber; suspending normal call processing and giving control of the call to the IPTV Mediation AS; interacting with the home viewing network and sending instructions to the IPTV STB regarding a pop-up message to be played on the television; receiving instructions for handling the call at the IPTV Mediation AS; and sending the instructions for handling the call to a service switching point. | 09-03-2009 |
20090257363 | Method and system for intelligent networking trigger contention resolution in IP multimedia subsystem networks - A method of receiving a first InitialIN message, determining if the first InitialIN message is a mobile origination, determining if an mscAddress comprising the first InitialIN message is an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) MSC address, and establishing DMS IN services with an SCF/SCP and performing VCC anchoring for a DMS communication session with a VCC SCF/SCP if the InitialIN is a mobile origination and if the mscAddress is an IMS MSC address. | 10-15-2009 |
20090271469 | Method and apparatus for IMS support for multimedia session, recording, analysis and storage - A system comprising a first network element, a second network element and a communication device. The first network element is communicatively coupled to the second network element and the communication device. The communication device sends multimedia session information to the first network element. The first network element analyzes the multimedia session information for urgent emergency circumstances. The first network element forwards the multimedia session information to a destination on the second network element if urgent emergency circumstances are found in the multimedia session information. | 10-29-2009 |
20090296915 | Method and apparatus for efficient abbreviated dialing - A system comprising an abbreviated digit constructor, an abbreviated digit analyzer and a calling line identification data store. The abbreviated digit constructor is communicatively coupled to the calling line identification data store and abbreviated digit analyzer, the abbreviated digit analyzer sends a set of abbreviated dialed digits to the abbreviated digit constructor and the abbreviated digit constructor constructs a set of unabbreviated dialed digits from the set of abbreviated dialed digits and a calling line identification retrieved from the calling line identification data store | 12-03-2009 |
20090318141 | Network support for roaming optimization - An apparatus in one example has: a home network and at least one partner network; a mobile terminal associated with the home network; a high threshold for use when the mobile terminal roams from the home network to the partner network; and a minimum threshold for use when the mobile terminal roams from the partner network to the home network. | 12-24-2009 |
20100076858 | Virtual world support for electronic commerce - An apparatus in one example has: virtual world having at least one object; vendor template database having at least one product template; vendor template server operatively coupled to the vendor template database and to the virtual world; and at least one profile that contains at least one descriptive characteristic of one of an avatar and an object, the at least one profile stored in at least one of the virtual world and the vendor template database. | 03-25-2010 |
20100082972 | Method to allow targeted advertising on mobile phones while maintaining subscriber privacy - An apparatus in one example has: a trusted advertising server operatively coupled to at least one terminal of a subscriber; and a trusted database having respectively at least one profile for the at least one terminal; wherein the trusted advertising server effects sending of one or more advertisements to the terminal based on the profile of the terminal without revealing an identity of the subscriber. The trusted advertising server has a trusted role and an advertising role. The trusted role is to securely maintain the at least one profile, and the advertising role is to receive target demographics for a particular advertiser or advertising broker, to match advertisements to the at least one terminal based on the respective profile in the trusted database, and to deliver the selected advertisements to the at least one terminal based on the respective profile in the trusted database. | 04-01-2010 |
20100174611 | Method for improving financial transaction security - Methods are disclosed for performing cardholder verification associated with a customer card transaction through use of code sequences delivered independently to a point of sale terminal and to a customer unit (e.g., mobile phone). A point of sale terminal initiates a customer card transaction by sending a card number to a customer card processing system. An application server receives the card number and generates a code sequence corresponding to the transaction. The application server sends a first instance of the code sequence to the point of sale terminal and a second instance of the code sequence to the customer unit associated with the card number. Authorization status of the transaction is thereafter determined by an operator of the point of sale terminal comparing the first and second instances of the code sequence. | 07-08-2010 |
20100279716 | Method and apparatus for the integration of SMS message communications into call center operation - A method and apparatus for efficiently integrating SMS (short message service) messages into distributed agent call center operation. A call center application server receives an SMS message from an SMS client, then identifies the sender of the received SMS message, determining whether an SMS session associated with the sender is currently open and, if so, identifying the current SMS session agent. If an SMS session associated with the SMS message sender is not currently open, the call center application server opens an SMS session and selects a current SMS session agent, thereafter routing the SMS call to the current SMS session agent. The SMS session will remain open until closed, for example upon receipt of an SMS session closure message from the current agent. | 11-04-2010 |
20100281100 | Internet service for passengers on in-flight airplanes - An exemplary method provides Internet Protocol (IP) devices of passengers of an in-flight airplane with terrestrial Internet IP communications. One airplane in a group of in-flight airplanes functions as a ground link airplane with a direct communication link to a ground station. Each airplane in the group travels in a substantially linear direction. A daisy chain of communications between adjacent airplanes in the group supports inter-airplane IP communications for carrying IP information of the IP devices of the passengers. The ground link airplane collects the IP-based information of the IP devices of the passengers and relays this information to the ground station that is connected to the terrestrial Internet. A communication satellite is not utilized to support any of these communications. | 11-04-2010 |
20110122861 | Method to interact with packet-network based services and applications via intelligent network signaling - A cross domain server is configured to receive calls to at least one predetermined phone number. The cross domain server is a member of a packet-switched network. The cross domain server receives a call setup message for a call from a subscriber outside of the packet-switched network. The cross domain server performs an action in the packet-switched network on behalf of the subscriber and based on the call. The call is disconnected. | 05-26-2011 |
20110153525 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING POWER CONSUMPTION USING GEOLOCATION INFORMATION - A method of controlling power consumption comprising defining a boundary region surrounding a power-consuming structure and obtaining geolocations for one or more mobile terminals over a telecommunications network. The method also comprises determining whether or not the one or more mobile terminals are located inside or outside of said boundary region and changing a power mode of the power-consuming structure. The power mode is changed to a low-power consumption mode when the geolocations of each of the mobile terminals are outside of the boundary region. Or, the power mode is changed to a high-power consumption mode when the geolocation of at least one of the mobile terminals is inside the boundary region. | 06-23-2011 |
20110165892 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING GEO-LOCATION ENABLEMENT FOR WIRELESS DEVICE - A method for providing geo-location enablement for a wireless device includes storing geo-location data in a storage device, the geo-location data including geo-location coordinates; referencing geo-location data for geo-location coordinates to corresponding wireless coverage area data, the wireless coverage area data for each geo-location coordinate including wireless coverage area coordinates, each wireless coordinate; representing a sub-area within a coverage area of a wireless network, each sub-area generally formed by an RF signaling range for a wireless access point; and referencing each wireless coordinate to corresponding signal strength data, the signal strength data for each wireless coordinate representing a signal strength value. Each signal strength value representing a signal strength parameter associated with the corresponding wireless coordinate. The wireless coverage area data and signal strength data being stored in the storage device. A server for providing geo-location enablement includes the storage device, an input module, and a geo-location handling module. | 07-07-2011 |
20110201898 | Wireless healthcare smart grid - One implementation encompasses an apparatus, which comprises: at least one sensor; at least one controllable element; and at least one server operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and to the at least one controllable element, the at least one server configured to receive input data from the at least one sensor, and the at least one server configured to control the at least one controllable element based on the input data received from the at least one sensor. | 08-18-2011 |
20120183230 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO ENHANCE SECURITY AND/OR SURVEILLANCE INFORMATION IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK - Existing video surveillance security approaches enhanced with suitable functionality of the telecommunications wireless network are provided. Security personnel are equipped with hand-held devices capable of recording video, photos, audio, and text. This data is geo-tagged and time-stamped by the application and uploaded to the telecommunications network and stored in the network. As such, the geo-tagged, time-stamped information is immediately available to other investigators who are in the same geographic vicinity through access controls administered by a secure social network. The information may also be accessible from remote locations via the internet. All wireless and Internet communications may be protected using end-to-end secure transport layer communications protocols. | 07-19-2012 |
20120210244 | Cross-Domain Privacy Management Service For Social Networking Sites - A cross-domain privacy management service for social networking sites is implemented in a communication system including a user platform operably connected to an application platform. The application platform accesses one or more social networking sites on behalf of a user to obtain indicia of privacy settings of the user and displays the privacy settings via a graphical user interface accessible to the user independent of the social networking sites. The user may interact with graphical icons via the graphical user interface to change privacy settings of one or more impacted sites, and the user changes are communicated to the social networking sites via the application platform on behalf of the user. | 08-16-2012 |
20120290468 | Method and apparatus for secure payment using a network-connectable device - An apparatus and method for completing a payment transaction using a network-connectable device is disclosed. When a payer initiates a payment transaction to a vendor using the network connectable device, a unique identifier and current geolocation of the network-connectable device are sent to a payment server together with a server payment transaction message containing information about the payment transaction. The payment server compares the geolocation with the vendor location and one or more predetermined locations associated with the payer, for example, a home or workplace. Upon a successful comparison, the payment retrieves a third party payment record from a mapping database and uses it to complete the payment transaction with a third party payment processing system. | 11-15-2012 |
20120307989 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTIMEDIA CALLS - A multimedia call capability is disclosed. The multimedia call capability supports establishment of a data session in conjunction with a call, the data session being established between a user device and a multimedia answering point. The call may be directed to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and/or a private answering point. The multimedia call capability enables dynamic routing of call signaling of the user device to the answering point based on whether the user device includes a media content capture capability (e.g., a still camera, a video camera, and the like). The data session is configured to support propagation of media content from the user device to the answering point in conjunction with the call. The media content may include photographs, video, and the like, as well as various combinations thereof. The media content may be provided before, during, and/or after voice communications between the user of the user device and the operator at the answering point. In many types of situations, obtaining such additional media content from a user device would be invaluable to the operator handling the call and the personnel responding to the situation. | 12-06-2012 |