Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of controlling transmission of data from a wireless device to a receiver connected via a communication channel includes an application executing on the wireless device providing an estimate of end-to-end bandwidth of the communication channel; supplying to the application from wireless access circuitry in the wireless device at least on communication-related parameter and modifying in the application the estimate of end-to-end bandwidth using the at least one communication-related parameter.

Abstract: A system and method for providing packet-switched telephony service. The system provides call control, signaling, and/or delivery of voice, video, and other media in substantially real time. One embodiment of the system includes a call client application on a user device, and a call server located at a packet-switched telephony service provider. The call server is preferably operable to communicate with the call client in a non-native protocol and with the gateway in a native protocol.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system for communicating over a network using a first device and a peripheral device, wherein the first device comprises a user interface and a network interface for connecting to the network, and the peripheral device has a local connection to the first device, the local connection being independent of the network. The method comprises receiving data packets from the network at the network interface of the first device and forwarding the received data packets from the first device to the peripheral device via the local connection. A client engine of a communication client, executed on a processor of the peripheral device, processes the received data packets. The peripheral device sends processed data packets to the first device via the local connection such that data contained in the received data packets is displayed on the first device using the user interface of the first device.

Abstract: A computer system for receiving user data comprising a user access component having a display and a processor arranged to execute a data receiving application, wherein the data receiving application provides on the display at least one address field; and a geographical location device in communication with a location network and arranged to identify a geographical location of the device using information from the location network, the geographical location device located at a user address, the geographical location device operable to provide location data from which address data of the user address is derived and supplied to the data receiving application to automatically populate the address field on the display.

Abstract: A method of providing instant messaging communication between a first user and at least one other user via a communication network.

Abstract: Method, device and computer program product for transmitting a video signal from a user device includes capturing a plurality of frames of the video signal using a camera at the user device, determining a functional state of the device and selectively stabilizing the video signal prior to transmission based on the functional state.

Abstract: A method of associating a first device with a second device is disclosed. The first device through its speaker broadcasts a request for association using an audio signal. The broadcasted audio signal is received by the second device through its microphone. The first and second devices then cooperatively verifies a security code and upon a successful verification of the security code, the first and the second devices are enabled to communicate with each other.

Abstract: Communicating location information for a first user of a first communication client from a first user terminal over a communications system to a second user terminal is described. A second communication client executed by the second user terminal displays a list of contacts associated with a second user of the second communication client that comprises a first contact representing the first user. The first user terminal determines a location of the first user and stores the determined location in a store of the first user terminal. The first communication client reads the stored location from the store. The first communication client further generates a message comprising a visual indication of the location read from the store and transmits the message to the second user terminal. The visual indication of the location is displayed on the second user terminal in the contact list in association with the first contact.

Abstract: A method of populating a store with information identifying user devices capable of communicating in a communications network, includes establishing a communication event from an initiator device to a recipient device via the communication network using information identifying the recipient device; receiving from a user of the initiator device a selection signal indicating that said information identifying the recipient device is to populate the store; and transmitting said information identifying the recipient device from the initiator device to the store via the communication network.

Abstract: A method of selecting reference blocks for intra or inter prediction coding of a current block of a video signal. Each reference blocks is selected by: (i) determining a group of candidate blocks comprising at least some candidate blocks other than immediately adjacent spatial neighbors of the current block; and (ii) selecting one of the candidate blocks as the reference block based on a second metric, different from the first metric, the second metric relating to a number of bits that would be required in the encoded bitstream to encode both the residual block and the side information identifying the respective reference block.

Abstract: An instant messaging client application is executed on a first terminal, to participate in threads of instant messaging between user terminals over a packet-based network, each thread comprising exchanging text-based messages between the user terminals of a selected group of contacts comprising the first user and at least one second user. A digital record of the messages is maintained in a data storage medium. A further text-based message is received from one of the second terminals over the packet-based network, comprising a citation of a cited one of the text-based messages previously transmitted over the packet-based communication network and stored in the storage medium. The further message is processed at the first terminal so as, by reference to the storage medium, to recover a context of the cited message in relation to others of the text-based messages in the respective thread.

Abstract: A method of accessing content at a user terminal connected to a communication network and executing a communication client includes the client displaying a list of contacts associated with a user of the client and the client retrieving a message from the communication network. The message is related to a further user represented by one of the contacts displayed in the list of contacts, and includes a reference to content stored in a storage means accessible by the communication network. The client initiates a call to the further user over the communication network responsive to a user of the client selecting the one of the contacts in the list of contacts. Responsive to initiating the call, the client establishes communication with the storage means using the reference, accesses the content and displays the content at the user terminal.

Abstract: A method of communicating location information relating to a first user of a first communication client from a first user terminal over a communications system to a second user terminal, the first user terminal executing the first communication client and the second user terminal executing a second communication client, the method comprising: the second communication client displaying a list of contacts associated with a second user of the second communication client, the list of contacts comprising a first contact representing the first user; the first user terminal determining a location of the first user; the first user terminal storing the determined location in a store of the first user terminal; the first communication client reading the stored location from the store; the first communication client generating a message comprising a visual indication of the location read from the store; transmitting the message from the first user terminal to the second user terminal; and displaying the visual indicatio

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for limiting processing resources incurred due to refreshing a user interface. In various embodiments, an event is received, and it is determined whether a delay time period has elapsed. A length of the delay time period is based on a timing of receipt of one or more previous events. If the delay time period has not elapsed, refreshing of the user interface is postponed. When the delay time period elapses, the user interface is refreshed to display an indication of the event.

Abstract: A user terminal comprising: a positioning system arranged to detect a geographical location of the user terminal; a transceiver for communicating with other user terminals via a communication network; and a communication processing apparatus coupled to the transceiver and positioning system. The communication processing apparatus is arranged to detect communication events occurring via the transceiver and communication network in relation to other user terminals, and to maintain a log of the communication events. Further, the communication processing apparatus is configured to organize the log in dependence on a geographical location detected by the positioning system.

Abstract: A method, system and program for encoding and decoding speech according to a source-filter model whereby speech is modelled to comprise a source signal filtered by a time-varying filter. The method comprises: receiving a speech signal comprising successive frames. For each of a plurality of frames of the speech signal: adding a predetermined noise signal generated by a quantization gain multiplied by 0.5 times an inverse of a pitch correlation to the speech signal to generate a simulated signal, determining linear predictive coding coefficients based on the simulated signal frame, and determining a linear predictive coding residual signal based on the linear predictive coding coefficients and one of the speech signal and the simulated signal. Then forming an encoded signal representing said speech signal, based on the linear predictive coding coefficients and the linear predictive coding residual signal.

Abstract: A terminal for transmitting a voice signal, comprising: a transmitter having a first transmission module arranged to transmit signals over a packet-switched data network and a second transmission module arranged to transmit signals over a circuit-switched telephony network; a microphone for generating a voice signal; and signal processing apparatus configured to generate a first signal and a second signal from the voice signal, each representing information from the voice signal over a same portion of time. The signal processing apparatus is further configured to supply the first signal to the first transmission module for transmission to a receiver via the packet-switched data network, and to supply the second signal to the second transmission module for transmission to the receiver via the circuit-switched telephony network. There is also provided a terminal for receiving such signals and reconstructing the voice signal, and corresponding methods and program products.

Abstract: A method of controlling communication quality between one node and at least one other node in a packet switched communication system, the method comprising the steps of detecting at one of said nodes a condition that indicates that communication quality is below an acceptable threshold, automatically generating instructions based on the detected condition for a user of the at least one node, said instructions intended to provide a remedy to improve the communication quality, and receiving input from a user of the at least one node responsive to the instructions to implement the remedy and thereby improve the communication quality.

Abstract: A method, client application and user terminal, the method including providing a packet-based communication system for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network and providing an instance of a client application enabling a first user terminal to access the packet-based communication system. The client application is configured so as when executed on the first terminal to receive an input from multiple different audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal, to analyze those inputs in relation to one another, and based on that analysis to select at least one audio and/or video input transducer and/or output transducer of the first terminal for use in conducting a voice or video call with a remote user terminal via the packet-based communication system.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for limiting processing resources incurred due to refreshing a user interface. In various embodiments, an event is received, and it is determined whether a delay time period has elapsed. A length of the delay time period is based on a timing of receipt of one or more previous events. If the delay time period has not elapsed, refreshing of the user interface is postponed. When the delay time period elapses, the user interface is refreshed to display an indication of the event.