Abstract: A numbering plan-independent directory structure for telecommunications applications is described. Common directory services permit users to easily and transparently use telecommunications services such as sending multimedia messages to recipients on different multimedia messaging systems, using the recipients preferred supported capabilities. For example, sending messages may be difficult if the sender does not have an address or other profile information of the recipient. A sub-tree structure which is numbering plan-independent provides a mechanism to eliminate global searching for telecommunications information. A sub-tree is defined in the directory, the sub-tree having a structure in which each alphanumeric character of the unique identifier comprises a separate node in the sub-tree. The advantage is the enablement of information location where information can be retrieved without a search given a known unique identifier such as a telephone number.

Abstract: A diversity selection process which tests to determine whether poor reception is caused by co-channel interference or multipath fading is disclosed. The impairment is determined by first testing the quality over several frames. Unless the quality is poor over these several frames, the system tests for multipath fading by selecting the antenna with the greater signal strength, provided no hold condition exists. However, if poor quality has been present over the several frame period, the system selects the other antenna if its RSSI is greater. However, the system also tests the RSSI received on the current antenna and determines the impairment was co-channel interference if the signal of quality was sufficiently high. In which case a hold condition is set for a number of frames to prevent excessive switching.

Abstract: A telecommunication switching network is described in which one or more competing local exchange carriers are to be provided with unbundled access to customer premises equipment though subscriber access lines. The customer premises equipment is comprised of user terminals and a customer premises equipment connector that can transmit and receive any combination of telephone, fax, modem, video, and data signals. A line interface module is connected to the customer premises equipment by means of subscriber lines for routing the signals originating with the customer premises equipment ("local access signals") to a competing local access service node, instead of the service node operated by the incumbent local exchange carrier. A network interface module is provided to set up a call path through a generic connectivity network.

Abstract: There is described a held party notification monitoring feature which is activated or invoked by a calling party when placed on hold. The monitoring feature is invoked to monitor a communication link established between a first party and a second party wherein the first party has placed the second party on hold. In response to the second party being placed on hold by the first party, a request is generated at the second party to monitor the communication link for a signal indicative of the termination of the hold.Responding to the receipt of the generated request to monitor the communication link for the termination of the hold, a message is generated to the first party indicative that a held call monitoring feature has been activated and awaits the first party to generate the signal indicative of the termination of the hold. In response to the signal being generated by the first party, the second party is alerted of the termination of the hold.

Abstract: A useful, novel, and nonobvious speech verification apparatus, method and media incorporating the same, as well as a secure interactive voice response ("IVR") system. The speaker verification apparatus and method involves a determination whether one or more speech samples captured from a speaker substantially matches a speaker template in a registration database. If no substantial match is found, alternate access control is utilized to allow the speaker to verify herself, without the use of speaker verification techniques. If alternative access control is able to verify the speaker, the captured speech samples are used to modify the corresponding speaker template. The so-modified speaker template may account for acoustic idiosyncrasies or anomalies perceived in the speech samples to improve verification rates in subsequent acoustic attempts.

Abstract: A system and method for updating the congestion indication and no increase values in an resource management cell on an available bit rate connection in an asynchronous transfer mode network. The method determines a per port elastic allocatable rate as a function of a port's capacity, and the current high priority traffic rate. The values are set according to the underutilization or over utilization of the allocated elastic bandwidth.

Abstract: A method of controlling asymmetrical port access in a common-memory (CM) multi-port data packet switch and a high-capacity flexible access rate CM data packet switch are described. The method involves providing a common-memory-access control table which defines a unique contiguous band of CM access time slots allocated to each port of the packet switch. Each access time slot is identified by a time slot identifier. Time slot identifiers are generated at a regular interval. The time slot identifiers are generated so that CM access time for each port is substantially equally spaced to minimize delay jitter. The packet switch may have an equal number of input and output ports, or more output ports than input ports. In the high-capacity CM packet switch, several CM switch modules are interlinked by middle buffers in a folded configuration to provide a packet switch having Terabit output capacity.

Abstract: A high power amplifier (103, FIG. 7) comprises a basic power module (15, FIG. 7), a parameter generator (50, FIG. 7), an amplifier gain model (60, FIG. 7), and a predistortion module (40, FIG. 7). The high power amplifier amplifies a linear radio frequency signal with a minimum of distortion, even near its maximum power output, by using an adaptive predistortion algorithm comprising an amplifier gain model 60 based upon a polynomial function of the power module 15 gain function and a time constant. The input signal into the amplifier 103 is continually compared with the amplifier 103 output using a Kalman filter, and model parameters are generated to model 60, which generates distortion compensating values that are combined with the input signal in predistortion module 40 to produce a predistorted input signal into power module 15, which generates the amplifier output. Also described are a method (70, FIG. 8) of operating the power amplifier and a base station (101, FIG.

Abstract: A telephony apparatus is disclosed. The telephony apparatus has a receiver for receiving an email and a processor circuit having a communications port, for automatically forwarding at least a portion of the email from the communications port to a remote device, in response to receiving the email.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for vending public communications services. The apparatus includes a telephone, a multimedia terminal, and a payment receiver for receiving an authorization to accept charges for enabling use of at least one of the telephone and the multimedia terminal.

Abstract: To determine the frequency content of a time series, a time series segment which spans a time interval is received. A time interval spanned by a symmetric tapered window with quantised elements is chosen such that the window time interval is greater than the segment time interval such that when the window is centered with respect to the segment time interval, the window element at either end of the segment time interval has the lowest available non-zero quantised value. Lastly a frequency representation of said time series may be obtained based on the time series segment and the quantised window.

Abstract: A radio transceiver system uses a single variable local oscillator frequency source which is used in mixing both before and after a band-pass filter. This causes a reduction in band-pass filter bandwidths. In an all-band transceiver for PCS for example the effect of this reduced bandwidth requirement is to increase the spacing between the transmit bands and the receive bands and thereby enable a reduction in transmission noise interfering with the reception bands.

Abstract: A signaling path between a central office switch and a fixed radio access network terminal equipment supporting one or a plurality of subscriber handsets comprises a radio base station connection to the central office switch via a back haul transmission link, and communicates with the network terminal equipment via a wireless link operating in accordance with an air interface protocol e.g. such as described in International Standard Q931. In band service signals, e.g. of the Custom Local Area Special Services (CLASS) type, are issued by the central office switch on an in voice band channel and are stored at the radio base station whilst A party to B party call set up is effected over a digital signal path between the central office switch and the network terminal equipment.

Abstract: A system for mediating delivery of a document from a sending site to a receiving site utilizes respective sending and receiving agents as intermediaries. The document is encrypted by the sending site to produce an encrypted copy that is delivered to the input of the receiving agent. At any time before, during, or after receipt of the encrypted copy at the input, a receiving agent variable is produced that is associated with a decrypting key for decrypting the encrypted document. The receiving agent variable is produced based upon a parameter that is not available to the sending agent. The receiving agent variable is directed to the sending agent after receipt of the encrypted copy at the input of the receiving agent.

Abstract: A method of equalizing the channels of a WDM link comprises identifying an error threshold level BER.sub.Fail for the BER defined for each signal S(j) in accordance with the channel rate, and determining the attenuation A(j) of, for example, the power P(j) of each signal S(j) transmitted over the WDM link. The transmitter powers are adjusted taking into account the attenuations determined for all channels. The attenuation A(j) for channel (j) is determined by first setting the power P(j) of all signals S(j) to a maximum P.sub.Max, attenuating the power P(j) of channel (j) until the BER reaches the threshold value BER.sub.Fail, measuring the power corresponding to the BER.sub.Fail for that channel, and calculating the difference between the P.sub.Max and P(j).sub.Fail. The transmitter powers are then set according to the relationship P(j)=P.sub.Max -.eta.(A(j)-A.sub.Min), where .eta. is 0.8 for a system with 3-4 channels.

Abstract: A display screen manager and management method is disclosed, along with a storage and management system, media, computer and terminal incorporating the same. The disclosed screen manager will be capable of accessing a plurality of screen objects, each defining at least one screen displayable on a display unit of a terminal or device. Each screen object will include both data and procedures for painting the actual screen, defining the role of any softkeys, and handling user input and other messages directed to the screen object while it is being displayed to the user. The screen manager will also include a stack data structure for retaining the active screen object at the top of the stack (i.e. the screen object defining the active screen being displayed) as well as dormant (i.e. previously active and unretired) screen objects invoked as the user interacts with the terminal. Dormant screen objects will also be retained in the stack positioned in an invocation order as the user traverses the screen hierarchy.

Abstract: An array architecture built out of content addressable memories (CAMs) is disclosed. This architecture is re-programmable and exhibits pre-synthesis deterministic timing behavior. This architecture can be re-programmed to store control-flow as well as data-flow dominated applications. The target application is partitioned into basic functional units, which are then transformed to a representation suitable for storage in CAMs.

Abstract: An optical waveguide Bragg grating spectrally selective reflector is made by ion beam implantation through a photolithographic mask to raise locally the effective refractive index of the guide. This contrasts with the standard method, which uses UV light to raise the index through the agency of the photo-refractive effect.

Abstract: A method for distributing synchronization in an optical communications network is disclosed. In order to keep costs to a minimum, the method consists of deploying requisite primary reference source (PRS) clocks only at those sites having access to more or less than two independent synchronization distribution paths (SDPs). PRS clocks are also preferably installed at sites located substantially far from a site already equipped with a PRS clock. As a result, a small number of PRS clocks end up being installed, leading to substantial cost savings for the telecommunications service provider. Subsequently, a building integrated timing supply (BITS) system is deployed at all sites comprising more than one network element. The BITS has two timing inputs, a primary and a secondary timing reference, selected from two of the accessible SDPs.

Abstract: A system and method for updating the explicit rate in an resource management cell on an available bit rate connection in an asynchronous transfer mode network. The method determines a per port elastic allocatable rate as a function of a port's capacity, and the current high priority traffic rate. A steering factor is used which is iteratively increased or decreased according to the underutilization or over utilization of the allocated elastic bandwidth.