Abstract: A multi-agent system for selecting a service based on competing bids, comprising a Bid Manager agent for issuing a call for bids, receiving the bids and selecting a best bid from among the received bids taking into consideration Quality of Service, and a plurality of Bidder agents for issuing the bids in response to the call for bids, wherein one of the Bidder agents issues the best bid and provides the service upon selection of the best bid by the Bid Manager.

Abstract: A communication system includes a plurality of desktop controller agents receiving goal commands and invoking a process to achieve the goals. A plurality of resource agents each in communication with an associate device receives and stores goals from a desktop controller agent and operates the associated device in response to goals received from the desktop controller agent. A network interconnects all of the agents and carries goals between the agents. Communications folders for the user agents are maintained and include a log of communications made using devices associated with a respective desktop controller agent. Attachments can be selected to accompany communications made using the devices.

Abstract: A Group Page process is implemented by which a variable audio source may be dynamically allocated circuit switch channels for broadcasting to a group of devices. The process is implemented via message exchanges between a Group Page Manager which accesses a data structure relating to the grouped devices, and a Paging Party Call Process associated with the party desirous of broadcasting an audio page.

Abstract: A method for minimizing toll call costs for completing a call at an originating PBX within a network of connected PBXs to a remote destination, comprising the steps of generating within the originating PBX and communicating to each other PBX within the network a message calling for bids from each PBX for least cost routing of the call according to respective local routing plans, determining within the originating PBX a least cost direct route for completing the call, determining from the respective local routing plans the least cost routing for each other PBX and communicating the bids to the originating PBX, and comparing and in response selecting within the originating PBX a least costly one of the least cost direct routes and the least cost routing for each other PBX for completing the call to the remote destination.

Abstract: A palm PC dockable phone, comprising a personal computer running a software application for implementing telephony functions, a personal digital assistant (PDA) device providing a user display and input interface, and a telephone set connected to the personal computer and in communication with the PDA device, wherein the telephone set incorporates phone firmware for communicating with the software application and PDA firmware for communicating with the PDA device for controlling the telephony functions via the user display and input interface.

Abstract: An adaptive rule-based mechanism and method to resolve conflicting feature interactions includes the steps of determining conflicting features available for execution in response to an event; examining the conflicting features to determine whether one of the conflicting features takes priority over other conflicting features; if one of the conflicting features takes priority, selecting that conflicting feature for execution; and if one conflicting feature does not take priority, prompting the user to make a selection to resolve the conflicting feature interaction.

Abstract: An automated telephone directory system allows a caller to select an item from a list in a telephony interface by assigning predetermined navigational functions to respective caller keypad entries for navigating through the list; assigning a selection function to a further caller keypad entry; communicating an initial item in the list to the caller; receiving a signal representing an input caller keypad entry and i) in the event said signal representing said input caller keypad entry corresponds to one of the predetermined caller keypad entries then navigating to a further item in the list and communication said further item to said caller, and ii) in the event said signal representing said input caller keypad entry corresponds to the selection function then selecting said item from said caller.

Abstract: A system for providing a secure interface to a PBX system comprising a PBX having a command executor; a plurality of telephony devices connected to the PBX; one or more programmable computing devices connected to the PBX; wherein each programmable computing device has a telephony service provider component which communicates with the PBX command executor through a PBX command interface resident on the programmable computing device to request and obtain a list of telephony device identifiers corresponding to a set of telephony devices which are permitted to be monitored or controlled by the programmable computing device.

Abstract: An architecture of multiple agents is provided, based on a negotiating agents' approach to resolving feature interactions. An event-based model is used to detect feature interaction, and fuzzy constraints are applied to the policies that describe the system. A mechanism is established by which the user may add rules or provide the system with parameters that affect the outcome of any conflict that may occur, thereby giving real control over the conflict to the end user.

Abstract: A system is provided for estimating interarrival jitter in real time, using hardware elements. The apparatus is capable of processing orders of magnitude more packetized voice streams than prior art software implementations. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of registers and arithmetic units are used to process packet spacing values to generate an estimate of the packet interarrival jitter. The hardware elements are controlled by a state machine whose operation is initiated by the reception of a packet of voice data.

Abstract: A method is provided of synchronizing analog call display data, comprising the steps of providing a ringing signal from a remote peripheral to a remote user in the event of a pending call initiated by a central controller, generating a predetermined go-ahead signal at the remote peripheral following application of a first full ringing cadence of the ringing signal to the remote user; and generating analog call data at a DSP device co-located with the central controller and transmitting the analog call data to the remote user upon receipt of the go-ahead signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically locating sources of semantic error in a multi-agent system based on setup connection tree information, and informing the appropriate agents so that they can avoid using the faulty resources in the future. The setup connection tree model is established based on patterns of agent actions for expressing the logical relationship between available resources in the disjunctive normal form (d.n.f.). A table is used to record different sets of resources for use in the resource selection process. Thus, faulty resources can be located by means of induction. A global database is also maintained for updating information on semantic errors in the system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting silence in voice packets. A packet energy calculator calculates a smoothed energy value for each packet of voice data to be transmitted. A noise level detector adaptively calculates noise values during periods of said silence. A silent packet detector compares the energy value to the noise value and if it is less than the noise value and less than a predetermined silence ceiling value then silence is indicated. Also, if the energy value is less than a predetermined silence noise value then silence is also indicated.

Abstract: A circuit for controlling current flow though an LED backlight network, comprising a PWM circuit for receiving an input DC voltage (Vsource) and in response generating a chopped output voltage (Vsw), a filter for smoothing the output voltage (Vsw) resulting in a DC output voltage (Vout) for application to a first terminal of the LED backlight network. A resistance (Rcp) is connected between ground and a second terminal of the LED backlight network so as to create a node voltage (Vref) connected to a feedback input of the PWM circuit. In operation, the PWM circuit maintains a constant controlled current through the LED backlight network by regulating Vout in accordance with the node voltage (Vref).

Abstract: A system for permitting a first party to initiate a call from a second party to the first party, comprising a network for providing communication between the first party and the second party; web server connected to the network for storing at least one web page associated with the first party containing a first embedded computer program for creating a voice communication path terminating at a location defined by a predetermined Call Value; a first computer connected to the network for sending at least one message from the first party to the second party requesting the call, wherein the at least one message contains a second embedded computer program for allowing the second party to access the at least one web page; mail server connected to the network for storing the at least one message; a second computer connected to the network for retrieving the at least one message from the mail server and in response accessing the at least one web page by execution of the second embedded computer program and executing t

Abstract: A switching system for switching data with rate conversion between a high speed bus and a low speed bus, comprising a double-buffered data memory having a read-only port and a write-only port, a plurality of registers and selectors for receiving and storing successive frames of data from one of either the high speed bus or low speed bus into the data memory via one of the write-only port or said read-only port, respectively; and a connection memory containing a plurality of entries each having a first bit indicating channel ON/OFF status, an additional plurality of bits identifying connection addresses for the received frames of data; and a further plurality of index bits for addressing and reading the data memory via the other one of the write-only port or read-only port in the event the first bit is set and thereafter outputting the data to the other one of the high speed bus or low speed bus.

Abstract: A noise dosimeter for an appliance including a speaker to broadcast signals includes a filter receiving signals to be broadcast and having a transfer function generally modeling the frequency response of the appliance to provide output approximating noise appearing at the speaker. Signal processing circuitry processes the filter output before it is accumulated by an accumulator. The value of the accumulator represents a user's exposure to noise when using the appliance.

Abstract: A system for providing local call connection services via local call control services in a remote peripheral in the event of a loss of communication between the remote peripheral and a main controller, comprising a local memory within the remote peripheral for receiving and synchronizing copies of dialing plans and local device configurations from the main controller for use by the local call control services during the loss of communications, a backup call services manager for receiving requests for service from devices connected to the remote peripheral, transmitting these requests to the main controller while the communication between the remote peripheral and main controller is established, and while the communication is lost instantiating a local device handler for each of the requests, a further local memory within the remote peripheral for maintaining current device state for each of the devices, and wherein each local device handler receives a corresponding one of the requests and in response consults

Abstract: A system and method of implementing and provisioning features and thereby providing feature services in a call processing environment where features may be introduced, changed or removed from outside the code base. Features are introduced or “injected” into the call processing environment using a feature registry. The feature registry is used to manage feature configuration, behavior and interactions. The code base references the feature registry to apply features during operation. In this manner, features can be implemented by reference without modification or rebuilding of the code base. Features can be added, modified or removed without requiring a system upgrade, even while the code base is in operation. The code base uses a structured framework into which features can be introduced by reference using the feature registry. A feature service manager exclusively controls the feature registry and handles provisioning of features.

Abstract: In a device having a sound source within an enclosure and a first microphone for picking up sounds outside the enclosure, a system for improving acoustic separation between the sound source and first microphone comprising an additional microphone located approximately equidistant from the sound as the first microphone for picking up sounds within the enclosure, and a circuit connected to the first microphone and the additional microphone for subtracting the sounds within the enclosure from the sounds outside the enclosure.