John T Erickson

US Patent:

20110317684, Dec 29, 2011

Filed:

Jun 24, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/822970

Inventors:

Nicholas P. Lazzaro - Atlanta GA, US
Marc Lefar - Atlanta GA, US
Michael South - Jackson NJ, US
John Erickson - Freehold NJ, US
Gregory Alan Hardy - Marietta GA, US

International Classification:

H04L 12/66

US Classification:

370352

Abstract:

A IP telephony service allows customers to form user groups. Each user group can include multiple telephony devices that are associated with one or more users. One or more group identifiers would be associated with each user group. When an incoming communication is directed to a user group, a group identifier is used to retrieve a list of the members of the group, or a list of devices that correspond to the members of the user group. The communication is then sent to one or more members of the group, or to one or more of the devices that correspond to members of the user group. Handling preferences may determine how the incoming communication is delivered. In some instances, the incoming communication could be a telephone call. In other instances, the incoming communication could be a SMS message or an instant message.

US Patent:

20110320547, Dec 29, 2011

Filed:

Aug 13, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/856140

Inventors:

Marc Lefar - Atlanta GA, US
John Riley - Topsfield MA, US
John Erickson - Freehold NJ, US
Deepak Ottur - Hillsborough NJ, US
Andrew Robert Brock - Alpharetta GA, US
Andrew H. Tripp - Middletown NJ, US

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709206

Abstract:

A IP telephony service allows customers to form user groups. Each user group can include multiple members, each of whom have their own telephony device. When a member of a user group sends a messages to another member of the user group, the message is posted to a group message board so that all members of the group can view the message. This could include sending information to each of the telephony devices for all members of the group so that each telephony device could display the message on a display screen. The displayed messages could also indicate who sent each message and to whom each message was directed. As a result, each member of the group can view messages passing back and forth between all members of the group.

US Patent:

20120014293, Jan 19, 2012

Filed:

Sep 26, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/244890

Inventors:

Nicholas P. Lazzaro - Atlanta GA, US
Marc Lefar - Atlanta GA, US
Michael South - Jackson NJ, US
John Erickson - Freehold NJ, US
Gregory Alan Hardy - Marietta GA, US

International Classification:

H04L 12/16
H04W 4/06

US Classification:

370270

Abstract:

A IP telephony service allows customers to form user groups. A user group is established by collecting a plurality of identifiers that are associated with members of a group, and associating the member identifiers with a group identifier. The member identifiers could be telephone numbers of telephony devices for each of the members, or device IDs of IP telephony devices for members of the group. The group identifier could be any type of identifier, and in some instances, the group identifier could be a telephone number.

US Patent:

20120014382, Jan 19, 2012

Filed:

Sep 26, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/244883

Inventors:

Nicholas P. LAZZARO - Atlanta GA, US
Marc Lefar - Atlanta GA, US
Michael South - Jackson NJ, US
John Erickson - Freehold NJ, US
Gregory Alan Hardy - Marietta GA, US

International Classification:

H04L 12/66

US Classification:

370352

Abstract:

A IP telephony service allows customers to form user groups. Each user group can include multiple telephony devices that are associated with one or more users. One or more group identifiers would be associated with each user group. When an incoming communication is directed to a user group, a group identifier is used to retrieve a list of the members of the group, or a list of devices that correspond to the members of the user group. The communication is then sent to one or more members of the group, or to one or more of the devices that correspond to members of the user group. Handling preferences may determine how the incoming communication is delivered. In some instances, the incoming communication could be a telephone call. In other instances, the incoming communication could be a SMS message or an instant message.

US Patent:

20120143968, Jun 7, 2012

Filed:

Aug 3, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/197571

Inventors:

Amichay OREN - Rosh-a-ayin, IL
Gregory Alan Hardy - Marietta GA, US
Michael South - Jackson NJ, US
John Erickson - Freehold NJ, US

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709206

Abstract:

Systems and methods for establishing a communications channel between a first user and a second user through a first communications system make use of contact information obtained from a second communications system. The contact information obtained from the second communications system is stored in a cross-reference database maintained on the first communications system. The information could be obtained by having the first communications system access the second communications system using the credentials of a user of the second communications system to obtain contact information stored on the second communications system for the user. The information in the cross-reference database allows the first communications system to determine a non-publically switched telephony network (PSTN) identifier of a telephony device associated with the second user. This identifier is then used to establish a communications channel between the first user and the second user.