William E Robbins

US Patent:

8179826, May 15, 2012

Filed:

Dec 5, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/329511

Inventors:

William S. Robbins - Sun Prairie WI, US
Larry B. Pearson - San Antonio TX, US
R. Tyler Wallis - Dallas TX, US
Mark Ryan - Norcross GA, US

Assignee:

AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04B 7/00
H04B 1/38
H04W 4/00
H04M 1/00

US Classification:

3703102, 370315, 370338, 4555521, 455557

Abstract:

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a base unit operable in part as a femtocell having a controller to detect a cellular phone, wirelessly establish communications with the cellular phone, establish communications with a cellular communication system by way of a broadband interface, and enable one or more landline phones communicatively couplable to the base unit to communicate with the cellular communication system responsive to establishing communications with the cellular phone. Other embodiments are disclosed.

US Patent:

8369249, Feb 5, 2013

Filed:

Dec 19, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/339373

Inventors:

William S. Robbins - Sun Prairie WI, US
R. Tyler Wallis - Dallas TX, US
Anup D. Karnalkar - Allen TX, US

Assignee:

AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04L 12/16
H04Q 11/00

US Classification:

370270, 370352, 370401, 370466, 370486

Abstract:

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller to detect a media device operating externally to the communication device actively engaged in presenting media content, detect an incoming communication session initiated by another communication device, present a notice identifying the media device and the media content being presented by the media device, detect a directive to modify an operation of the media device to mitigate interrupting a communication session with the other communication device, and instruct the media device to modify its operation according to the directive. Other embodiments are disclosed.

US Patent:

8427985, Apr 23, 2013

Filed:

May 2, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/461885

Inventors:

William Stanley Robbins - Sun Prairie WI, US
Larry B. Pearson - San Antonio TX, US
R. Tyler Wallis - Dallas TX, US
Mark Ryan - Norcross GA, US

Assignee:

AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04B 7/00
H04B 1/38
H04W 4/00
H04M 1/00

US Classification:

3703102, 370315, 370338, 4555521, 455557

Abstract:

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, at a base station, communicating with a mobile phone where the base station comprises a premises wireless access point, at the base station, communicating with a mobile communication system by way of a broadband connection, and instructing a landline phone communicatively coupled to the base station to communicate with a remote end user device via the mobile communication system utilizing identification information of the mobile phone and responsive to communications between the base station and the mobile phone. Other embodiments are disclosed.

US Patent:

8428616, Apr 23, 2013

Filed:

Sep 29, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/893703

Inventors:

William Robbins - Sun Prairie WI, US
Judson Flynn - Decatur GA, US
Randolph Wohlert - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04W 24/00

US Classification:

4554561, 4554562, 4554563, 4554565

Abstract:

The disclosed subject matter relates to an architecture that can facilitate and/or transmit notifications based upon device presence techniques in connection with a wireless communications network. For example, when certain mobile devices register with a particular network entity (e. g. , a femtocell) that services a particular target location (e. g. , place of residence), then such registration can be leveraged to indicate presence at the target location. Accordingly, notifications can be delivered to custodian devices that indicate the presence information if certain predetermined conditions or criteria are satisfied.

US Patent:

8437456, May 7, 2013

Filed:

Jul 28, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/181027

Inventors:

William S. Robbins - Sun Prairie WI, US
Tyler Wallis - San Antonio TX, US
Anup D. Karnalkar - Allen TX, US

Assignee:

AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04M 11/00

US Classification:

379 9301, 37935501

Abstract:

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to receive from a first communication device (CD) a telephone number of a second CD, submit a verification code to the second CD, submit a request to the first CD for the verification code, receive the verification code from the first CD, provide the first CD access to update in whole or in part a second contact book of the second CD stored in a contact book account, receive from the first CD one or more entries of a first contact book of the first CD, merge the one or more entries of the first contact book with one or more entries of the second contact book, thereby generating an updated second contact book, and store the updated second contact book in the contact book account. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

US Patent:

8521767, Aug 27, 2013

Filed:

Dec 15, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/335187

Inventors:

William S. Robbins - Sun Prairie WI, US
R. Tyler Wallis - Dallas TX, US

Assignee:

AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

G06F 17/30

US Classification:

707769, 707770

Abstract:

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller to present a new contact book entry of a contact book, detect an entry of a communication identifier of a party in one of a plurality of fields of the new contact book entry, search for contact information associated with the party in a reverse directory lookup database operating externally to the communication device using the communication identifier of the party, detect an entry in the reverse directory lookup database with additional contact information of the party, receive from the reverse directory lookup database the additional contact information of the party, and populate one or more additional fields of the new contact book entry with one or more portions of additional contact information according to their corresponding one or more tags. Other embodiments are disclosed.

US Patent:

8582458, Nov 12, 2013

Filed:

Sep 29, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/893831

Inventors:

William Robbins - Sun Prairie WI, US
Judson Flynn - Decatur GA, US
William Gordon Mansfield - Sugar Hill GA, US

Assignee:

AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04L 12/26

US Classification:

370252, 370241

Abstract:

A system and methodology that facilitates automatically determining performance parameters of a broadband network connected to a femto access point (FAP) is provided. In particular, the system automatically performs a broadband test, in the background, to detect the current speed, performance, throughput, etc. of the broadband network. The results of the speed test are then provided to the customer and/or to the femtocell carrier's Customer Care team, to facilitate diagnosing and correcting problems with the femtocell's performance. Specifically, the system notifies the customer of the broadband test results via short message service (SMS) message(s), email and/or posts the results on a femtocell management web page accessed by the customer. In addition, the femtocell automatic broadband test results can also be posted to an online tool that is accessed by authorized entities within the femtocell carrier's Customer Care team to facilitate easy and accurate diagnosis of femtocell performance issues.

US Patent:

8594288, Nov 26, 2013

Filed:

Dec 8, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/330412

Inventors:

William S. Robbins - Sun Prairie WI, US
R. Tyler Wallis - Dallas TX, US
Anup D. Karnalkar - Allen TX, US

Assignee:

AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04M 11/00
H04M 1/56
H04M 15/06
H04M 1/00

US Classification:

37914206, 379 9323, 37914217, 379354

Abstract:

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller to detect by way of an input device an entry of a communication identifier without contact information of a party associated with the communication identifier, retrieve from a database operating externally to the communication device contact information of the party according to the communication identifier, initiate a communication session according to the communication identifier, present at least a portion of the retrieved contact information and the communication identifier, and store the communication identifier in a communication log with the retrieved contact information. Other embodiments are disclosed.