David S Howell

US Patent:

7502364, Mar 10, 2009

Filed:

Mar 31, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/394773

Inventors:

David Milstein - Redmond WA, US
David A. Howell - Seattle WA, US
Linda Criddle - Kirkland WA, US
Michael D. Malueg - Renton WA, US
Philip Andrew Chou - Bellevue WA, US
Scott C. Forbes - Redmond WA, US
Kuansan Wang - Bellevue WA, US
Timothy M. Moore - Bellevue WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04L 12/66

US Classification:

370356, 370352, 370353, 370354, 370355, 379 8813, 379 8817, 709203, 709206, 709207, 715749, 715760

Abstract:

Structured hierarchies for communicating contextual information relating to a VoIP conversation are provided. The structured hierarchies are utilized for efficient communications of various amounts and types of contextual information over a VoIP conversation channel. Information identifying at least one structured hierarchy, which will be used to carry the contextual information, is transmitted during establishment of a conversation between two VoIP enhanced devices and prior to the exchange of contextual information. The structural hierarchy is selected from a set of predefined and declared structured hierarchies. Subsequently transmitted contextual information exchanged between two VoIP enhanced devices is represented in accordance with the identified structural hierarchy. Additionally, the structural hierarchies can be extensible by the addition of more definitions to the current structural hierarchies.

US Patent:

7551727, Jun 23, 2009

Filed:

Mar 22, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/087007

Inventors:

David A Howell - Seattle WA, US
David T Fong - Kirkland WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04M 11/00

US Classification:

379 8814, 379 8818, 379 8825

Abstract:

A system and/or methodology that unifies a telephonic communication component and/or system with a data (e. g. , messaging) server component and/or system. The system can facilitate telephonically accessing rich information in the server (e. g. , messaging server). This rich information can include email content, calendar content, contacts information, or the like. Moreover, with access to an application programming interface, the invention can add functionality to initiate email communications as well as to accept or cancel meetings. Furthermore, the invention can synchronize messages of disparate formats. By way of example a user can set an “Out of Office” (OOF) status on both an email systems and telephone voicemail system from one location in one action. In another aspect, it will be appreciated that any message or data component can be analyzed, transformed, matched and/or communicated from one system to another (e. g. , server to telephone) in accordance with the subject invention.

US Patent:

7693267, Apr 6, 2010

Filed:

Dec 30, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/324208

Inventors:

David Andrew Howell - Seattle WA, US
Sridhar Sundararaman - Bellevue WA, US
David T. Fong - Seattle WA, US
Frank Torsten Bernd Seide - Beijing, CN

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04M 11/00

US Classification:

379 8814, 379 8801

Abstract:

Improved systems and methods are provided for transcribing audio files of voice mails sent over a unified messaging system. Customized grammars specific to a voice mail recipient are created and utilized to transcribe a received voice mail by comparing the audio file to commonly utilized words, names, acronyms, and phrases used by the recipient. Key elements are identified from the resulting text transcription to aid the recipient in processing received voice mails based on the significant content contained in the voice mail.

US Patent:

7747568, Jun 29, 2010

Filed:

Apr 7, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/400612

Inventors:

David Howell - Seattle WA, US
David Milstein - Redmond WA, US
Kuansan Wang - Bellevue WA, US
Linda Criddle - Kirkland WA, US
Michael D Malueg - Renton WA, US
Scott Forbes - Redmond WA, US
Gursharan Sidhu - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 17/30
G06F 17/00

US Classification:

707610, 707999003, 707999004, 70799901

Abstract:

A method and system for collecting contextual information in order to provide a requested service is provided. A service provider and a user may exchange a conversation and/or contextual information relating to a service over a communication channel. Based on the received user contextual information, the server may determine an appropriate source for obtaining more information relating to the requested service from the user. The server contacts the appropriate source and obtains information from it. Additionally, the server identifies the user interfaces for collecting more information relating to the requested service from the user. The server may transmit a set of contextual information, such as embedded instructions for invoking the user interfaces on a user's device, over the communication channel. While the user interacts with the user interfaces, new user's contextual information may be obtained by the server.

US Patent:

7912186, Mar 22, 2011

Filed:

Mar 22, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/086828

Inventors:

David A Howell - Seattle WA, US
David T Fong - Kirkland WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04M 1/64

US Classification:

379 8804, 379 8801, 379 8802, 379 8808, 379 8818, 455413, 4554141, 704270, 7042701, 704275, 709203, 709209, 709221, 709228, 709229, 715727, 715738, 715744, 715745, 715746

Abstract:

A system that concurrently provides multiple user interface (UI) mechanisms that facilitate control of an application state machine (e. g. , unified message system). More particularly, the invention can create two relatively distinct user experiences, one via dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) navigation and another through speech recognition navigation of a unified message system. In accordance therewith, one single underlying state machine can be used. Navigation and flow control (e. g. , state transitions) in the state machine can be leveraged by multiple UI mechanisms that actively co-exist. The invention introduces speech recognition features together with other input mechanisms to drive the UI of an application state machine (e. g. , unified messaging system). The speech recognition UI can be designed to provide a natural navigation through the application independent of a DTMF UI.

US Patent:

7983247, Jul 19, 2011

Filed:

May 31, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/444746

Inventors:

David A Howell - Seattle WA, US
David Milstein - Redmond WA, US
Kuansan Wang - Bellevue WA, US
Linda Criddle - Kirkland WA, US
Michael D Malueg - Renton WA, US
Philip A Chou - Bellevue WA, US
Scott C Forbes - Redmond WA, US
Timothy M Moore - Bellevue WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04L 12/66

US Classification:

370352, 704270

Abstract:

A method and system for collecting and communicating contextual information relating to a VoIP conversation is provided. Structured hierarchies are utilized for efficient communications of various amounts and types of contextual information relating to a VoIP conversation. Information identifying at least one structured hierarchy, which will be used to carry the contextual information, is transmitted during establishment of a conversation between two VoIP enhanced devices. The structured hierarchy is selected from a set of predefined and declared structured hierarchies. Subsequently transmitted contextual information exchanged between two VoIP enhanced devices is represented in accordance with the identified structural hierarchy. VoIP clients, network infrastructure, and various service providers can collect the contextual information based on the identified structured hierarchy, update the contextual information by adding, deleting and/or modifying the contextual data. The updated contextual information will be transmitted to other clients, network infrastructure, and service providers.

US Patent:

8090083, Jan 3, 2012

Filed:

May 26, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/472137

Inventors:

David T. Fong - Kirkland WA, US
David A. Howell - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04M 11/00

US Classification:

379 8814, 37910013

Abstract:

A system and/or methodology that unifies a telephonic communication component and/or system with a data (e. g. , messaging) server component and/or system. The system can facilitate telephonically accessing rich information in the server (e. g. , messaging server). This rich information can include email content, calendar content, contacts information, or the like. Moreover, with access to an application programming interface, the invention can add functionality to initiate email communications as well as to accept or cancel meetings. Furthermore, the invention can synchronize messages of disparate formats. By way of example a user can set an “Out of Office” (OOF) status on both an email systems and telephone voicemail system from one location in one action. In another aspect, it will be appreciated that any message or data component can be analyzed, transformed, matched and/or communicated from one system to another (e. g. , server to telephone) in accordance with the subject invention.

US Patent:

8144842, Mar 27, 2012

Filed:

Dec 8, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/608598

Inventors:

Michael Geoffrey Andrew Wilson - Sammamish WA, US
Clifford Didcock - Sammamish WA, US
David Andrew Howell - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04M 1/64

US Classification:

379 8822, 370352, 370353, 379 70, 379 8817, 37920101, 4554121, 709201, 709205, 709221, 709224

Abstract:

A Unified Messaging (UM) gateway device located at a branch office of a UM system manages calls if the network connecting the branch office to a UM server of the UM system is unavailable. The UM gateway device contains relatively simple hardware and software as compared to the hardware and software of a UM server. The UM gateway device provides call answering functionality, in the absence of the UM server. In various configurations, the UM gateway device provides access to mailboxes, manages incoming calls, provides an outgoing message (e. g. , an announcement or prompt), provides an indication where the called-for person can be reached, and, when the network becomes available, returns management of incoming calls to the UM server and/or handles incoming calls in conjunction with the Unified Messaging server.