ANNAPOLIS, Md., April 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS), a world leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued TCS 13 U.S. patents during the first quarter of 2014. TCS also received 1 foreign patent during the quarter.
News Facts:
The 13 recently issued U.S. patents describe innovations in messaging, public safety and location-based services. Among them are the following four:
- TCS was the first company to create the capability for users to send messages from one carrier to a different carrier by knowing only the phone number of the recipient. Prior to this invention, users had to know the specific routing syntax of the recipient's carrier. TCS' invention significantly enhanced the user experience and paved the way for the messaging market that we have today. The recently issued Inter-Carrier Messaging (ICM) Service Providing Phone Number Only Experience patent (U.S. Patent 8,682,362) is a continuation of earlier TCS core ICM patents that had been successfully litigated by TCS. This new patent further expands the claims coverage of this valuable portfolio and describes a system, apparatus, and methods for routing data messages by associating a subscriber's mobile identification number (MIN) with the appropriate servicing carrier. The ICM portfolio was licensed to Acacia Research Group in April 2012 and Acacia has begun to sublicense the patents.
- Prepaid phones providing messaging services enable users who would not qualify for credit under a postpaid wireless services contract to purchase phones with a prescribed amount of prepaid messaging and wireless call time. The Prepaid market has grown into a multi-billion dollar per year industry with approximately 86M prepaid users now comprising 27% of all U.S. wireless subscribers. The recently issued Prepaid Short Messaging Services Revenue Capture patent (U.S. 8,682,289) is a continuation of earlier TCS Prepaid patents and brings the total number of patents in this portfolio to seven, with two additional pending. The '289 patent describes techniques for assuring that a subscriber has a sufficient account balance to fund the delivery of the message and any associated service fees prior to delivering the message, dropping the message if funds are not available. TCS is currently developing a monetization program around this portfolio.
- TCS has been a leader in public safety solutions for wireless E9-1-1, Voice over IP (VoIP) E9-1-1, NG9-1-1, and E1-1-2 since deploying the first U.S. wireless E9-1-1 solution in 1998. TCS pioneered the methods by which U.S. public safety answering points (PSAPs) can receive accurate location information of the callers during calls for emergency assistance. The recently issued Mobile Automatic Location Identification (ALI) for First Responders patent (U.S. 8,681,946) further adds to TCS' core capability in this area by describing a method and apparatus for posting key information, such as what emergency response resources have been dispatched or the building layout associated with the caller's location, to a secure web page that is accessible by the emergency responder's wireless device. Access to this information via web portal enables a faster and more accurate situational assessment than could be derived through a verbal conversation between the PSAP call taker and the emergency responder and presents a record of the additional information gathered for use by resources engaged in the emergency response.
- Unofficial gatherings of people and crowds frequently occur and can present a wide range of issues, from simple traffic jams to life-threatening violence. With the broad penetration of wireless mobile devices, most individuals in these gatherings have a wireless device. The recently issued Aggregate Location Dynometer (ALD) patent (U.S. 8,649,806) describes how the anonymized collection of location information about such wireless devices can be used to construct a description of the crowd's shape and movement. The patent describes a network server that analyzes the ALD and a method by which alerts can be generated. Such alerts could be used in a broad array of services, such as presenting traffic alerts to navigation applications or police alerts about an impending flash mob.
The remaining 9 patents issued in the period are: Enhanced E911 Network Access for a Call Center Using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Messaging (U.S. 8,682,286); Temporary ENUM Gateway (U.S. 8,644,302); Location Sensitive Messaging (U.S. 8,682,346); Location Service Requests Throttling (U.S. 8,660,573); Culled Satellite Ephemeris Information for Quick, Accurate Assisted Location Satellite Location Determination for Cell Site Antennas (U.S. 8,681,044); Area Event Handling When Current Network Does Not Cover Target Area (U.S. 8,666,397); User Plane Location Based Service Using Message Tunneling to Support Roaming (U.S. 8,626,160); Method and System for Providing Assistance Data for A-GPS Location of Handsets in Wireless Networks (U.S. 8,638,259); Mobile Internet Protocol (IP) Location (U.S. 8,682,321).
TCS Chairman, President and CEO Maurice B. Tose said: "TCS continues to innovate and to protect the company's investment in our engineers' inventions. These 13 new patents are evidence of our continuing work on solutions that improve our quality of life and our safety within this wireless society."
TCS Vice President of Intellectual Asset Management Bob Held said: "TCS continues to look for opportunities to monetize its intellectual property portfolio via sales, direct licensing, cross licensing and other creative solutions. In 2014, TCS has filed for 17 U.S. patents; the total number of patents issued worldwide in the portfolio is now 355 and more than 300 patent applications are pending worldwide."
About TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.
TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS) is a world leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology. TCS infrastructure forms the foundation for market-leading solutions in E9-1-1, text messaging, commercial location and deployable wireless communications. TCS is at the forefront of new mobile cloud computing services, providing wireless applications for navigation, hyper-local search, asset tracking, social applications and telematics. Millions of consumers around the world use TCS wireless apps as a fundamental part of their daily lives. Government agencies utilize TCS' cybersecurity expertise, professional services and highly secure deployable satellite solutions for mission-critical communications. Headquartered in Annapolis, MD, TCS maintains technical, service and sales offices around the world. To learn more about emerging and innovative wireless technologies, visit www.telecomsys.com.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and are based upon TCS' current expectations and assumptions that if incorrect would cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Specifically, the statements about our commitment to monetizing leading technologies and the opportunities to leverage our 355+ patents and other intellectual property worldwide are forward-looking statements. Risks include without limitation the possibility that no licensing or other revenues will result from these efforts, and those detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2013.
Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances, or otherwise.
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SOURCE TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.
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