Abstract: A facsimile transmission device implements silence suppression based on a state of a facsimile call and detected facsimile signals. A decision process implemented in the facsimile device can determine when silence suppression should be enabled. The facsimile device may be an IP media gateway connected between a PSTN and an IP network, or may be an IP endpoint. The determination of when to enable silence suppression can be based on the state of sending or receiving facsimile transmissions including facsimile operations and/or signaling. The decisions can be based on the type of facsimile transmission including G3 type or SG3 type facsimile transmissions. By enabling silence suppression during facsimile transmissions, significant reductions in bandwidth requirements can be achieved for the facsimile transmission while maintaining facsimile transmission quality.

Abstract: Systems and methods of performing intra-frame refresh in multimedia communications over lossy packet networks, in which a video receiver can provide packet loss feedback information to a video transmitter, and the video transmitter can respond to the feedback information, in a manner that makes efficient use of available bandwidth. By providing one or more PLI messages from the video receiver to the video transmitter based on criteria related to the detection of an eventual missing video packet and/or the determination that the quality of a current reference frame is bad, and by pausing the providing of GNACK messages from the video receiver to the video transmitter while the PLI messages are being provided to the video transmitter, the total number of video packets required for transmission/retransmission can be reduced, thereby limiting the impact of the transmitted/retransmitted video packets on the available bandwidth while enhancing the video QoE of system users.

Abstract: Systems and methods that provide a facility for a dynamic media overlay. An end user provides data for the dynamic media overlay that is activated upon selection to permit end users to share information while receiving or sending video data. The overlay may be a hyperlink that can be selected to take an action indicated by information provided in the hyperlink. The hyperlink may be represented by audio or image information in the form of instructions or clickable “targets.” A content of information represented by the hyperlink can be dynamic so that selection of the hyperlink can result in different actions, depending upon the informational content. One or more flags may be provided to indicate that a new hyperlink or new informational content for a hyperlink is requested. The hyperlink may be provided in an overlay represented as a media layer, or may be embedded in the video media itself.

Abstract: Systems and methods of handling packet errors associated with multimedia data received at data receivers from data senders, in which packet error feedback information is provided by the data receivers to the data senders in one or more real-time transport control protocol (RTCP) feedback packets. The data receivers can calculate, determine, or otherwise obtain costs associated with providing specific forms of packet error feedback information in the RTCP feedback packets, and further calculate, determine, or otherwise obtain wait times for handling out-of-order packets, as well as receiving retransmissions of lost packets. By handling packet errors associated with multimedia data while taking into account such costs and wait times, each of which can have an impact on system bandwidth and/or latency, the systems and methods can more reliably achieve the quality of experience (QoE) generally desired and/or required for multimedia data transmissions.

Abstract: Systems and methods of dynamically adapting multimedia data transmit rates of data senders to available bandwidths of data receivers, in which the available bandwidths are estimated by the data senders using at least reception quality feedback information provided in real-time transport control protocol (RTCP) report packets. The data senders can obtain several bandwidth estimation parameters, such as a packet loss ratio and a round trip delay, from the reception quality feedback information, as well as multimedia data transmit rates from the data senders to the data receivers, and obtain estimates of the available bandwidths of the data receivers using at least the bandwidth estimation parameters and multimedia data transmit rates. Further, using the estimated available bandwidth, the data senders can dynamically adapt the multimedia data transmit rates to the available bandwidths for more reliably achieving the quality of experience (QoE) desired and/or required for multimedia data transmissions.

Abstract: Systems and methods of video conferencing, in which existing video encoders associated with a multipoint control unit (MCU) can be shared among conference participant devices, depending upon the availability of processor and/or memory resources for the MCU. In making decisions regarding the sharing of video encoders, the systems and methods take into account various parameters associated with potential conference participant devices and the total cost of the processor/memory resources for the MCU, to determine whether a video encoder of the MCU can be shared with, or allocated to, the respective conference participant devices. By determining whether to share or allocate a video encoder of the MCU, depending upon the available processor/memory resources for the MCU, the MCU can be made to operate with increased stability. The systems and methods can be applied to any application that sends the same content to multiple receivers, including announcement and video streaming applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods of performing rate control in scalable video encoders that can be used to provide videoconferencing, announcements, and live video streaming to multiple participant devices having diverse bandwidths, resolutions, and/or other device characteristics. The systems and methods can accommodate different target bit rates of the multiple participant devices by operating on scalable video bitstreams in a multi-layer video format, including a base layer having one or more reference video frames, and an enhancement layer having one or more disposable non-reference, predictive video frames.

Abstract: A facility for customizable routing in a modularized routing environment is provided, where the complexities of routing functionality are not exposed to an application program. An identifier associated with a routing policy of an application program is used to configure a route table and to obtain routing instructions from the route table that are associated with the identifier. Routing is performed according to a message routing protocol, such as the Diameter protocol, for example. An interface between the facility and the application program may be implemented with an API that provides a relatively simple interface.

Abstract: The disclosed system and method provides a software package header that includes a copy of a firmware file header for a firmware file constituent of the software package. The package header is provided to a network service device such as a gateway as an initial portion of a software package to perform a firmware installation. The package header content is used to validate firmware files expected to be received and installed by the network service device. The package header structure permits all firmware files to be validated prior to the installation of any of the firmware files, while avoiding the use of additional network service device resources.

Abstract: A communication channel in a network maintains client-server transparency while providing reduced bandwidth in the channel. A first and second node can communicate a compressed form of the object data between themselves in the channel. One of the first or second nodes hosts a cache database that can store, transparently to the client, the requested object data. The stored object data can be used to decompress the compressed object data communicated between the first and second node. One of the nodes can provide control signals to the other node to indicate whether the requested object data is stored in the cache database. This configuration preserves transparency between the client and the server while permitting reduced bandwidth usage between the first and second nodes via the compressed object data.

Abstract: Systems and methods of video conferencing, in which existing video encoders associated with a multipoint control unit (MCU) can be shared among conference participant devices, depending upon the availability of processor and/or memory resources for the MCU. In making decisions regarding the sharing of video encoders, the systems and methods take into account various parameters associated with potential conference participant devices and the total cost of the processor/memory resources for the MCU, to determine whether a video encoder of the MCU can be shared with, or allocated to, the respective conference participant devices. By determining whether to share or allocate a video encoder of the MCU, depending upon the available processor/memory resources for the MCU, the MCU can be made to operate with increased stability. The systems and methods can be applied to any application that sends the same content to multiple receivers, including announcement and video streaming applications.

Abstract: A press fit passive component, such as a resistor or capacitor, adapted to fit within, or partially within, a via of a printed circuit board. In one example, the press fit passive component has a cylindrically shaped body with solderable terminals at either end of the body, and a dielectric collar disposed at least partially about the cylindrically shaped body. The component is placed in the via and soldered in order to provide a mechanical and electrical connection to the printed circuit board.

Abstract: Systems and methods of transcoding video bitstreams that employ highly efficient look-ahead approaches to video transcoding. The systems and methods perform video transcoding in the pixel domain to make successive adjustments to estimates of the coding complexity of video frames in input video bitstreams. The systems and methods can employ the adjusted estimates of the coding complexity in a rate control function to provide improved bit allocations for the video frames in transcoded output video bitstreams, thereby enhancing overall perceptual quality.

Abstract: Systems and methods of measuring a temporal offset between audio content and video content that employ audio fingerprints from an audio signal in the audio content, and video fingerprints from video frames in the video content. The systems obtain reference audio and video fingerprints prior to transmission of video over a media channel, and obtain target audio and video fingerprints subsequent to transmission of the video over the media channel. Each fingerprint has an associated time stamp. Using the reference and target audio fingerprints and their associated time stamps, the systems determine an audio time stamp offset. Using the reference and target video fingerprints and their associated time stamps, the systems determine a video time stamp offset. Using the audio and video time stamp offsets, the systems determine a temporal offset between the video content and the audio content introduced by the media channel.

Abstract: The disclosed system and method provide a facility for a dynamic media overlay. An end user can provide data for the dynamic media overlay that is activated upon selection to permit end users to share information while receiving or sending video data. The overlay may be in the form of a link, such as a hyperlink, that can be selected by an end user to take action indicated by information provided in the link. The link may be represented by audio or image information in the form of instructions or clickable “targets.” A content of information represented by the link can be dynamic, so that selection of the link can result in different actions, depending upon the informational content of the link. One or more flags may be provided to indicate that a new link or new informational content for a link is requested. The link may be provided in an overlay represented as a media layer provided in addition to the video media, or it may be embedded in the video media itself.

Abstract: Systems and methods of video transcoding that employ perceptual processing techniques for enhancing the perceptual quality of transcoded video information, communications, entertainment, and other video content. Such systems and methods of video transcoding are operative to perform perceptual processing of an input video bitstream using predetermined information carried by the input bitstream. Having performed such perceptual processing of the input bitstream, the perceptual quality of transcoded video delivered to an end user is significantly improved.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for real-time communication (e.g., fax, voice, video) via an IP Network even if a firewall or other restriction element is present or encountered. The real-time nature of the communication is ensured by preestablishing a communication session between a transfer client and a transfer server, between which the firewall or other restriction element is located. Following the preestablishment of the communication session, transmission control messages are exchanged between the transfer server and the transfer client via the preestablished communication session. The preestablished communication session prevents the firewall or other restriction element from blocking or delaying traffic (e.g., fax, voice, video traffic). The preestablished communication session establishes a full duplex communication link without restriction of or by the firewall or other communication restriction element.

Abstract: Timers involved in facsimile transmissions under the T.30 specification are permitted to adapt to a given situation to improve the chances for successful facsimile transmission over high latency communication networks. The specified T1 through T5 timers for facsimile transmission may be modified in value based on call control related parameters or facsimile transport related parameters. The timers may be set to have a particular range, with a nominal base value and a maximum value, which may exceed the T.30 timer specification. The adaptive timers can be modified based on a number of different criteria related to facsimile transmissions to avoid overlapping command-response situations and stalemates that may result from communications in relatively highly latency networks. The timers may also be adapted to minimize or optimize call length while achieving successful facsimile transmissions.

Abstract: Systems and methods of developing and/or implementing multimedia applications. The system provides an extensible framework including an application layer, a framework utility layer, and a core engine layer. The framework utility layer includes an application programming interface, a video codec sub-framework (XCF), a video packetization sub-framework (XPF), and a video/text overlay sub-framework (XOF). The core engine layer includes one or more core codec engines and one or more core rendering engines. The XCF, XPF, and XOF sub-frameworks are effectively decoupled from the multimedia applications executing on the application layer, and the core codec and rendering engines of the core engine layer, allowing the XCF, XPF, and XOF sub-frameworks and core codec/rendering engines to be independently extensible. The system also fosters enhanced reuse of existing multimedia applications across a plurality of multimedia systems.

Abstract: An object is implemented to represent a visual element in a user interface while being linked to data associated with the visual element. A user can manipulate the visual element through the user interface to modify the object or how the object is processed. The data associated with the visual element tracks with the modifications to the visual element and/or object to permit the data to conceptually move with the visual element. The object may be implemented using a document object model in a web browser. The object may be assigned to a user interface component that may treat the object differently in dependence upon the user manipulations. The visual element may be formed using HTML and the user manipulations may be implemented using a script.