Abstract: A method is provided for handling of short message service (SMS) messages for a mobile station (MS) (10) served by a wireless telecommunications network. The method includes: receiving an SMS message at the MS (10), the SMS message being a text message; alerting a user of the MS (10) that the SMS message has been received; receiving an indication that the user desires to audibly retrieve the SMS message; converting the SMS message from a text message to a corresponding verbal message; and, playing the verbal message.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example has: first user equipment having a first set of personal information for use in a community based network, and a second set of personal information for use in a public network; second user equipment having a first set of personal information for use in the community based network, and a second set of personal information for use in the public network; a trusted presence system in an IMS network operatively coupled to the first and second user equipment; and the trusted presence system being structured such that, when the first user equipment is in the community based network places a call to the second user equipment in the public network, the second set of personal information of the second user equipment is withheld from the first user equipment at least during call setup.

Abstract: A method is provided for supporting a call record suppression feature in a telecommunications network (30). The method includes: handling a call for an end user terminal (10) served by a facility (20) of the telecommunications network (30); determining if the call record suppression feature is active for the end user terminal (10); processing a call record for the handled call if it is determined that the call record suppression feature is not active for the end user terminal (10); and, suppressing the processing of the call record if it is determined that the call record suppression feature is active for the end user terminal (10).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for surveillance of voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) communications is provided. A server (112) associated with a network provider receives information to identify communications associated with a party under surveillance (200). The server uses the information to direct communications associated with the party under surveillance to a surveillance server (130) (202). The communications are analyzed to identify any initial VoIP data (204). If initial VoIP data is detected, identifiers for subsequent related VoIP communications are determined from the initial VoIP data (206). The identifiers for subsequent VoIP communications are used to identify subsequent VoIP packets. Those subsequent VoIP packets are then stored and analyzed as needed by an agency conducting surveillance.

Abstract: Telecommunication networks and methods are disclosed for providing a group session service for a plurality of participants. An application server in the telecommunication network receives a plurality of real-time media streams from the participants of the group session, and identifies voice media in the individual media streams. The voice media represents the spoken voice of the participants, and includes talking intervals separated by idle intervals (i.e., pauses in the spoken voice). The application server inputs the talking intervals as audio media elements into an audio media queue in the order received, and also outputs the audio media elements from the audio media queue in the order in which the audio media elements were inputted (i.e., in a first-in-first-out (FIFO) fashion) to generate a collective media stream for the group session. The collected audio stream is then provided to the participants of the group session.

Abstract: A method is provided for paging a mobile station (40) served by a wireless telecommunications network (A). The method includes: remembering a last known location of the mobile station (40), and implementing a first paging strategy for the mobile station (40) within a first collection of cells (32) served by a first mobile switching center (20).

Abstract: An apparatus in one example has: a predetermined location having at least a wireless communication device, the wireless communication device having a predetermined coverage area; a mobile terminal that communicates with the wireless communication device when the mobile terminal is within the predetermined coverage area; the mobile terminal having a camera and a functionality that selectively disables and enables the camera; and the wireless communication device having a functionality that causes the mobile terminal to disable the camera when the mobile terminal is within the predetermined coverage area, and wherein the mobile terminal effects an enabling of the camera when the mobile terminal leaves the predetermined coverage area.

Abstract: A method in one application of maintaining a paging status associated with a communication device. The method also comprises paging the communication device based on the paging status. A system in one application comprising a communications controller configured to store a paging status that is associated with a communication device. The system further comprising a communications manager communicatively coupled to the communications controller. Also, at least one data store is communicatively coupled to the communications controller. The communications controller pages a communication device based on a paging status. The paging status is stored in one of the at least one data store.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example has: a mobile terminal having a camera; a further terminal; a communication network operative coupled to the mobile terminal and to the further terminal; the communication network having remote mobile phone camera operation functionality such that the further terminal in the communications network remotely controls the camera in the mobile terminal.

Abstract: An exemplary wireless mobile telephone includes a transmitter and receiver module for transmitting and receiving radio communications, and a display screen. A mechanism acquires linear distance measurements to objects within line of sight of the wireless mobile telephone. A graphical representation of a structure having elements to be measured is stored in memory. A microprocessing unit operating under the control of software stores in the memory a plurality of the linear distance measurements, where each stored linear distance measurement is associated with a corresponding element of the graphical representation as shown on the display screen. This enables areas defined by a pair of such elements to be calculated.

Abstract: Embodiments of the method and apparatus provide remote access and file sharing functionality between mobile terminals of mobile subscribers in a telecommunication network. One embodiment may have the steps of: defining at least one privileged mobile terminal that has remote access to a first mobile terminal; defining file sharing strategy for at least one file that is sharable with the at least one privileged mobile terminal; and storing, in a database of the network, identification of the at least one privileged mobile terminal that has remote access privileges to the first mobile terminal, and the file sharing strategy for the at least one file on the first privileged mobile terminal. The apparatus implements the method.

Abstract: A system for supporting virtual conferences includes a switching center, a virtual conference database and a virtual conference bridge. The virtual conference database stores virtual conference information comprising, for example, images associated with a room type, an outdoor environment, a presentation medium and/or a meeting room facility. The switching center is operable to set up a virtual conference including a host terminal and one or more participating terminals by connecting the terminals to the conference bridge, retrieving selected virtual conference information from the virtual conference database and sending the information to the virtual conference bridge. The virtual conference information includes images of the participants such that the host terminal and participating terminals see and hear other participants in a virtual meeting room.

Abstract: A mobile communication device of an apparatus in one example sends a plurality of rate queries to a plurality of service providers. Based on one or more rate quotes received from one or more of the plurality of service providers in response to one or more of the plurality of rate queries, the mobile communication device selects one of the plurality of service providers to handle a communication session.

Abstract: A method is provided enabling communication infrastructure equipment to initially provision and update shared secret data of a mobile station where the mobile station only uses IP Multimedia Subsystem protocol signaling to accomplish the provisioning and updating.

Abstract: A mobile communications network is provisioned to provide surveillance services. A subscriber database is adapted to include surveillance service information. For example, the subscriber database is adapted to include an IP address of a surveillance sensor such as a camera or microphone associated with a subscriber and located at a place to be monitored. A mobile switching center is adapted to determine a surveillance session start time, receive the surveillance sensor IP address from the subscriber database and connect to the surveillance sensor associated with the IP address. The MSC is also adapted to receive surveillance information from the surveillance sensor and transmit the surveillance information to a mobile communications device of the subscriber. The mobile communications device presents the surveillance information to the user. For example, images are displayed and/or audio signals are produced. The subscriber database can be provisioned by the subscriber through a web portal.

Abstract: Gateway systems and methods are disclosed for allowing for communication between a real world environment and a virtual world environment. A gateway system in one embodiment is implemented between the virtual world environment and the real world environment. For a session being initiated from a real world user to a virtual world user, the gateway system receives a signaling message from the real world user to initiate the session with the virtual world user, and processes the signaling message to identify a virtual world identifier assigned to the virtual world user. The gateway system converts the signaling message to a communication request message in a protocol used in the virtual world environment, and transmits the communication request message to the virtual world user to establish the session. When the session is established, the virtual world user and the real world user may communicate via voice and/or data.

Abstract: A method is provided for administering an interactive real world game in which a player (20) is to find a designated target. Suitably, the player (20) employs mobile user equipment (UE) (40) to participate in the game, wherein the UE (40) is served by a wireless access network (32) providing the UE (40) access to an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) (30). The method includes: sending a clue to the UE (40) via the IMS (30), the clue hinting at an identity of the designated target; receiving an answer to the clue, the answer being submitted from the UE (40) via the IMS (30); and, determining whether the received answer correctly or incorrectly identifies the designated target.

Abstract: The present specification discloses is a method for providing a viewer (20) on-demand instant replay of live television (TV) being provided from a source (10) over a primary delivery channel. The method includes: obtaining a feed of the live TV supplied by the source (10); storing content from the obtained feed in a storage device (32); selecting a portion of the content from the storage device (32); and, delivering the selected portion of the content to a viewer's user equipment (UE) (24) while leaving uninterrupted the live TV provided by the source over the primary delivery channel.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for assigning a tag, such as a short name, to a network address of a web page for ease in subsequent retrieval of the web page. A user of a browser application may enter a tag responsive to which the browser application associates the tag with a network address of a web page. The browser application then transmits the tag and the network address to a tag server that stores the tag as assigned to the network address. At a subsequent time, a user may enter the tag into a browser application to retrieve the network address that is associated with the tag. The browser application transmits the tag to the tag server to retrieve the network address associated with the tag. The browser application may then display the web page that is associated with the retrieved network address.

Abstract: A system for providing service-specific support for multimedia traffic in a telecommunications system comprises a subscriber terminal, a base station operatively coupled to the subscriber terminal, a mobile switching center (MSC) operatively coupled to the base station, a media gateway control function (MGCF) and a media gateway (MGW), each coupled to the MSC. The subscriber terminal is adapted to generate multimedia traffic of at least one service category, wherein the multimedia traffic may be any of several distinct types defined within the service category. The subscriber terminal is further adapted to identify, when establishing a connection to the MSC to carry multimedia traffic, the type of that traffic in a connection request message. The MSC is adapted to further identify, when establishing a connection between the MSC and the MGCF/MGW to carry multimedia traffic, the type of that traffic in a message, responsive to the identification of the traffic type in the connection request message.