Abstract: Caller ID information provided coincident to a Voice over IP (VoIP) call is validated by one or more network devices. An originating router detects an offered IP address associated with a calling party node, for example, upon receiving a SIP Invite message initiated by the calling party node. The originating router determines the validity of the offered IP address and hence determines the validity of the Caller ID information based on the validity of the offered IP address. The originating router sends indicia of the validity to a terminating router, connected to a called party node, by inserting a verification bit in the SIP Invite message and sending the transformed SIP Invite message to the terminating router. Alternatively, the terminating router may query the originating router for indicia of validity. Upon receiving the indicia of validity, the terminating router may notify the called party node and so inform the called party whether it can rely on the Caller ID information.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing dynamic messages to callers on hold are disclosed. In one such method, a telephone call is received into a queue and a first wait time is calculated which corresponds to a first estimated length of time expected to elapse before an agent is available to answer the telephone call. A plurality of message elements are assembled to create a message having a length approximately equal to the first wait time, and playback of the message is initiated. A second wait time is calculated during the playback of the message. The message is modified during playback to have a length approximately equal to the second wait time if the updated estimated length of time is different than the first estimated length of time. In various embodiments, the second wait time may be continuously calculated and the message may be continuously modified during playback.

Abstract: A system and method for balancing agent console load during automated call processing is provided. A plurality of agent consoles are operated in a call center. Progress of a call session of a caller that is calling into the call center at each agent console is monitored. An absolute upper limit on a number of the call sessions allowed at each agent console at any given time is assigned. A load of call session assignments on each agent console is balanced. Objective and subjective conditions pertinent to each assigned call session are continually collected from each agent console. The objective and subjective conditions that affect call session availability are updated for each agent console. The objective and subjective conditions are evaluated against the absolute upper limit to determine a load factor. Each call session is assigned to one such agent console within bounds applicable to the load factor.

Abstract: A user interface for a telephone system may include a telephone portion operable to provide telephone administration functionality for each of a plurality of telephones of a telephone system. The telephone portion may include a telephone icon corresponding to at least one telephone of the plurality of telephones, the telephone icon operable to provide the telephone administration functionality for the at least one telephone. Other portions of the user interface may include an external line portion, an extension portion, or a user portion, which may include, respectively, an external line icon, an extension icon, and a user icon, where each icon may provide associated administration functionality. Accordingly, the user interface allows an administrator of the telephone system to easily view and administer the devices and elements of the telephone system.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of call trace on an NGN MG. According to the present invention, the softswitch device adds an extended trace indication to an H.248 message related to the call to be traced; the MG determines whether the received H.248 message needs to be traced according to the extended trace indication; and if the H.248 message needs to be traced, trace the call to which the transaction in the H.248 message belongs. By the method, the MG can trace the entire calling process of a call.

Abstract: Telecommunications systems for providing third party service support and call control in using a packet network are disclosed. The telecommunications systems for providing a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) are based interface for third party service call control and communication connections and support via an external application gateway in communication with a call control element of a packet network. The external application gateway signals a third party application server that controls the call via the SIP interface. The systems include border elements located between the call control elements of the packet network and the media servers of communication systems for providing SIP and media interfaces for the third party media servers or endpoints, which can be located inside or outside of the packet network. The systems include the reuse of existing network architectural elements to provide third party communications support and call control.