Abstract: An exemplary method provides Internet Protocol (IP) devices of passengers of an in-flight airplane with terrestrial Internet IP communications. One airplane in a group of in-flight airplanes functions as a ground link airplane with a direct communication link to a ground station. Each airplane in the group travels in a substantially linear direction. A daisy chain of communications between adjacent airplanes in the group supports inter-airplane IP communications for carrying IP information of the IP devices of the passengers. The ground link airplane collects the IP-based information of the IP devices of the passengers and relays this information to the ground station that is connected to the terrestrial Internet. A communication satellite is not utilized to support any of these communications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently integrating SMS (short message service) messages into distributed agent call center operation. A call center application server receives an SMS message from an SMS client, then identifies the sender of the received SMS message, determining whether an SMS session associated with the sender is currently open and, if so, identifying the current SMS session agent. If an SMS session associated with the SMS message sender is not currently open, the call center application server opens an SMS session and selects a current SMS session agent, thereafter routing the SMS call to the current SMS session agent. The SMS session will remain open until closed, for example upon receipt of an SMS session closure message from the current agent.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing network support for voice-activated mobile web browsing for audio data streams. More particularly, the presently described embodiments are directed to enhancing an existing wireless network to provide hands-free web browsing to retrieve audio data. This allows wireless customers to make verbal web requests, (e.g., not requiring the use of hands), thus making it possible to request web audio programs while engaging in other activities, such as safely driving their vehicles.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example has: a home network and at least one partner network; a mobile terminal associated with the home network; a high threshold for use when the mobile terminal roams from the home network to the partner network; and a minimum threshold for use when the mobile terminal roams from the partner network to the home network.

Abstract: A method for conserving paging and access channel bandwidth is provided in a wireless network (A) that includes: a plurality of cells (32) served by a mobile switching center (20); a paging channel for paging a mobile station (MS) (40) located within the cells (32); and, an access channel by which the MS (40) registers with the network (A). The method includes: defining a first set of location areas (LAs) including a plurality of paging LAs (50), each paging LA (50) including a plurality of cells (32); and, defining a second set of LAs including a plurality of registration LAs (60), each registration LA (60) including a plurality of paging LAs (50). As the MS travels, it registers with the network when entering one registration LA (60) from another, but it does not register when entering one paging LA (50) from another within the same registration LA (60).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to assist in providing security for vehicles with keyless ignition systems. The present invention involves receiving, via wireless communications, a signal to start an ignition of the vehicle. Upon receipt of the signal, a built-in cellular phone in the vehicle transmits a message to a server to provide a security key to the vehicle and the security key and a message to all mobile phones registered to a driver of the vehicle. The message indicates that an attempt has been made to start the vehicle. Upon receipt of the security key, the driver of the vehicle may input the security key into a key pad of the vehicle. If the security key received by the vehicle from the server matches the security key inputted by the driver of the vehicle, then the keyless ignition system may start the vehicle.

Abstract: A method is provided for paging a mobile station (40) served by a wireless telecommunications network (A). The method includes: using a plurality of band-classes to selectively communicate with the mobile station (40); remembering which one of the plurality of band-classes was last used to communicate with the mobile station (40); and, selectively paging the mobile station (40) over the wireless telecommunications network (A) when the mobile station (40) is being sought, the paging covering at least the remembered band-class for the mobile station (40) being paged.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for performing cardholder verification associated with a customer card transaction through use of code sequences delivered independently to a point of sale terminal and to a customer unit (e.g., mobile phone). A point of sale terminal initiates a customer card transaction by sending a card number to a customer card processing system. An application server receives the card number and generates a code sequence corresponding to the transaction. The application server sends a first instance of the code sequence to the point of sale terminal and a second instance of the code sequence to the customer unit associated with the card number. Authorization status of the transaction is thereafter determined by an operator of the point of sale terminal comparing the first and second instances of the code sequence.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example has: an RF-based base station in a telecommunications network; the RF-based base station having a base station transceiver; the telecommunications network having a network transceiver; and the base station transceiver and the network transceiver being structured for backhaul traffic and signaling for incoming and outgoing mobile calls to a mobile terminal that is operatively coupled to the base station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for connecting a plurality of called party terminals in a bridged a call session with a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) calling party terminal. The method includes the VOIP terminal sending called party terminal identifiers identifying each called party terminal to a calling party Service Control Point (SCP), and creating a bridged call session at the SCP connecting the called party terminals and the calling party VOIP terminal. The apparatus includes a system for sending called party terminal identifiers identifying each called party terminal to a calling party Service Control Point (SCP), and creating a bridged call session at the SCP connecting the called party terminals and the calling party VOIP terminal.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example has: a trusted advertising server operatively coupled to at least one terminal of a subscriber; and a trusted database having respectively at least one profile for the at least one terminal; wherein the trusted advertising server effects sending of one or more advertisements to the terminal based on the profile of the terminal without revealing an identity of the subscriber. The trusted advertising server has a trusted role and an advertising role. The trusted role is to securely maintain the at least one profile, and the advertising role is to receive target demographics for a particular advertiser or advertising broker, to match advertisements to the at least one terminal based on the respective profile in the trusted database, and to deliver the selected advertisements to the at least one terminal based on the respective profile in the trusted database.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example has: virtual world having at least one object; vendor template database having at least one product template; vendor template server operatively coupled to the vendor template database and to the virtual world; and at least one profile that contains at least one descriptive characteristic of one of an avatar and an object, the at least one profile stored in at least one of the virtual world and the vendor template database.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a plurality of separate Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) call sessions for a single Directory Number (DN). The method includes associating a plurality of IP addresses with a single DN, communicating the association to a Switching Center responsible for routing calls between the DN and the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), determining that an existing VOIP call session associated with the DN is in progress, and creating another separate simultaneous VOIP call session for the DN. A communications system includes a switching center receiving an association between a plurality of IP addresses and a single DN for providing a plurality of separate simultaneous VOIP call sessions for the DN.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example has: a home network and at least one partner network; a mobile terminal associated with the home network; a high threshold for use when the mobile terminal roams from the home network to the partner network; and a minimum threshold for use when the mobile terminal roams from the partner network to the home network.

Abstract: A system comprising an abbreviated digit constructor, an abbreviated digit analyzer and a calling line identification data store.

Abstract: A method of supporting a secure caller ID service (22) is provided in connection with a telecommunications network (30). The method includes: processing a call from a calling party to a called party, the called party employing an end user terminal (10) served by a facility (20) of the telecommunications network (30) to receive the call; maintaining a voice sample database (28) containing a plurality of voice samples; sampling the calling party's voice; comparing the sampled voice of the calling party to a voice sample selected from the voice sample database (28); and, communicating to the called party a result based upon an outcome of the comparison.

Abstract: A system comprising a first network element, a second network element and a communication device. The first network element is communicatively coupled to the second network element and the communication device. The communication device sends multimedia session information to the first network element. The first network element analyzes the multimedia session information for urgent emergency circumstances. The first network element forwards the multimedia session information to a destination on the second network element if urgent emergency circumstances are found in the multimedia session information.

Abstract: A method of receiving a first InitialIN message, determining if the first InitialIN message is a mobile origination, determining if an mscAddress comprising the first InitialIN message is an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) MSC address, and establishing DMS IN services with an SCF/SCP and performing VCC anchoring for a DMS communication session with a VCC SCF/SCP if the InitialIN is a mobile origination and if the mscAddress is an IMS MSC address.

Abstract: In general terms the system and method is for providing network support for reconfiguration of mobile configuration data for a mobile station. In one embodiment the method may have the steps of: storing mobile configuration data for a mobile station in a mobile subscriber database in the mobile station; storing the mobile configuration data in a network subscriber database in the network; changing via a user interface the mobile configuration data in the network subscriber database; and synchronizing, in response to the changing of the mobile configuration data in the network subscriber database, the mobile configuration data in the mobile subscriber database with the mobile configuration data in the network subscriber database of the mobile station.

Abstract: A method of allowing a non-IP-based network to interact with an IPTV-based network is provided. The method comprises: receiving an indication at an IPTV Mediation Application Server (IPTV Mediation AS) that a subscriber to IPTV service is watching television, wherein the television is connected to an IPTV set-top box (IPTV STB) in a home viewing network; receiving a call from a caller directed to a circuit-switched communication device of the subscriber; suspending normal call processing and giving control of the call to the IPTV Mediation AS; interacting with the home viewing network and sending instructions to the IPTV STB regarding a pop-up message to be played on the television; receiving instructions for handling the call at the IPTV Mediation AS; and sending the instructions for handling the call to a service switching point.