Gary L Passon

US Patent:

20070162553, Jul 12, 2007

Filed:

Jan 10, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/329022

Inventors:

Shane Dewing - Sherman Oaks CA, US
M. Newton - Palm Springs CA, US
Anthony Stonefield - Sherman Oaks CA, US
Gary Passon - Encino CA, US
Lex Meirop - Newbury Park CA, US

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709207000

Abstract:

A moderated voice chat service is provided that is participated by a group of anonymous users. A Conference Bridge interfaces to the communication network. The Conference Bridge is capable of placing (and possibly receiving) voice calls to (from) users of the communication network in order to connect users to the service. The Conference Bridge also facilitates voice chatting between multiple users by bridging together multiple voice connections as a multiparty conference. Such a multiparty conference facilitates the realization of a public voice chat room whereby multiple anonymous users communicate with one another via spoken words. The Conference Bridge also facilitates moderation of the public voice chat room by bridging a designated moderator to the multiparty conference as needed. The IVR functionality of the Conference Bridge preferably presents the user with a voice menu that identifies a plurality of moderated voice chat room sessions and bridges the user to one of these moderated voice chat room sessions as selected by the user. Users preferably pay for access to the moderated voice chat room sessions by a premium rate messaging scheme, such as premium-SMS or premium-MMS billing. In these premium rate message payment schemes, mobile users are charged a premium fee that is billed to his/her mobile carrier account when a premium rate message type is received (or sent) from the user's mobile unit.

US Patent:

49320220, Jun 5, 1990

Filed:

Mar 20, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/326405

Inventors:

Clare G. Keeney - Campbell CA
Gary L. Passon - Los Gatos CA
Ronald J. Hagen - Livermore CA
Chris D. Foster - Sunnyvale CA
Frank J. Fritsch - Sunnyvale CA

Assignee:

Telenova, Inc. - Los Gatos CA

International Classification:

H04J 324

US Classification:

370 60

Abstract:

An integrated voice and data telephone system is disclosed. The invention provides a telephone-based integrated voice, data and application communication system for small businesses. The system includes a plurality of telephone station sets which provide a user with a softkey selectible menu-driven interactive display to enable any one of a plurality of voice and/or data functions.