TeleCommunication Systems Adds 13 U.S. Patents Advancing Public Safety, Location-Based Services, Messaging and Secure Communications

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Feb. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS), a world leader in highly reliable and secure wireless communication technology, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued TCS 13 U.S. patents during the fourth quarter of 2014. TCS also received two foreign patents during the quarter. In 2014, TCS filed for 77 U.S. patents; as of December 31, the total number of patents issued worldwide in the portfolio was 388, with more than 300 patent applications pending worldwide.

News Facts:

The 13 recently issued U.S. patents describe innovations in several key communications categories, including:

• Public Safety. Enhanced 911 (E9-1-1) is a system used in North America that routes a 9-1-1 call, based upon an approximate location of the caller, to the correct Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). The system then delivers an enhanced location of the caller, thus enabling the appropriate first responders to dispatch to that emergency. For wireline and wireless 9-1-1 calls, the hardware providing service for the caller can be used to determine the caller's approximate location. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology disassociates the location of the serving hardware from the proximity of the caller, making it irrelevant for approximate location determination. The recently issued Enhanced E9-1-1 Location Information Using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) patent (U.S. 8,873,718) describes currently employed techniques to route VoIP 9-1-1 calls along with location and callback information of a VoIP device to the correct PSAP. Today, TCS supports about half of all U.S. wireless E9-1-1 calls, serving more than 140 million wireless and IP-enabled devices.

• Location-Based Services. Busy wireless subscribers often rely on time-based calendar alerts from smartphones and other connected devices to manage their schedules and to-do lists. Many of these tasks can only be accomplished when in proximity to a particular location (e.g., needing to pick up a prescription at a particular pharmacy), and a time-based alert may be forgotten if the recipient is not near the destination associated with the task. TCS' recently issued Location Based Geo-Reminders patent (U.S. 8,892,128) describes a system to provide geo-reminders when a wireless device interacts with a cellular tower that is in proximity to the task destination associated with the reminder, ensuring that reminders are both timely and relevant to the subscriber's current location.

• Messaging. TCS was issued another intelligent delivery agent patent, bringing the total in this portfolio to six U.S. patents. For more than 15 years, TCS has provided the core technology that enables text messaging. TCS technology has processed more than 4 trillion U.S. text messages to date. The recently issued Intelligent Delivery Agent for Short Message Distribution Center patent (U.S. 8,923,264) is a continuation of earlier patents in this area. It describes improved techniques for throttling short messages to short message service centers when the recipient's device is turned off, thus reducing the load and needless pressure on wireless carriers' critical network resources due to repeated failed message-delivery attempts.

The remaining 10 U.S. patents issued in the period are: Secure Transmission over Satellite Phone Network (U.S. 8,913,989); Wireless Telecommunications Location Based Services Scheme Selection (U.S. 8,918,073); Dynamic Configuration of Mobile Station Location Services (U.S. 8,862,710); Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) E911 Metro Street Address Guide (MSAG) Validation (U.S. 8,913,983); Extended Efficient Usage of Emergency Services Keys (U.S. 8,885,796); Emergency 911 Data Messaging (U.S. 8,874,068); Multiple Location Retrieval Function (LRF) Network Having Location Continuity (U.S. 8,867,485); Device Based Trigger for Location Push Event (U.S. 8,892,121); Location Based Proximity Alert (U.S. 8,878,681); and Personal Location Code Broker (U.S. 8,874,145).

TCS Chairman, President and CEO Maurice B. Tose said: "These new patents reflect TCS' continued commitment to innovation in the areas of public safety, location-based services, messaging, and secure communications. They are important additions to our patent portfolio and reflect continuing innovation in addressing the needs of our markets."

About TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.
TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS), headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, is a world leader in secure and highly reliable wireless communications. Our patented solutions, global presence, operational support and engineering talent enable 9-1-1, commercial location-based services and deployable wireless infrastructure; cybersecurity; defense and aerospace components; and applications for mobile location-based services and messaging. Our principal customers are wireless network operators, defense and public safety government agencies, and Fortune 150 enterprises requiring high reliability and security. Learn more at 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. Risks include the possibility that no revenues will result from our monetization efforts, that issued patents will prove to be less valuable than assumed, and those detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, and on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2014.

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.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120503/PH99996LOGO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/telecommunication-systems-adds-13-us-patents-advancing-public-safety-location-based-services-messaging-and-secure-communications-300030609.html

SOURCE TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]