Abstract: Scalable presence distribution system and method are described. In one embodiment, a presence distribution system comprises a plurality of presence servers and a centralized management function for coordinating registration of a presentity with one or more of the plurality of presence servers.

Abstract: A communications system includes a presence server for collecting presence information and preference information for a presentity. The presence information includes availability of devices of the presentity, and the preference information includes a priority level for one or more initiators and preference indications for each media type supported by each device associated with the presentity. Upon receiving a request for a communication session of a particular media type with the presentity from an initiator, a communications manager identifies a list of devices of the presentity that support the media type and are accessible to the initiator based on the priority level granted to the initiator. The communications manager then identifies available devices on the list using the presence information, determines a preference value for each of the available devices based on the preference indications and selects one of the available devices having the highest preference value for the communication session.

Abstract: An active dental attachment. Specifically, an attachment device for interacting with a polymeric shell dental appliance is described. The attachment device includes an anchoring attachment body. A bonding surface is coupled to the anchoring attachment body, wherein the bonding surface is configured for anchoring the anchoring attachment body to a dental feature of a patient's dentition. A force-applying active mechanism is coupled to the anchoring attachment body. A polymeric shell dental appliance contact region is coupled to the force-applying active mechanism. The polymeric shell dental appliance contact region is configured to contact the force-applying active mechanism and apply a force generated by the force-applying active mechanism between the dental feature and the polymeric shell dental appliance when the polymeric shell dental appliance engages the force-applying active mechanism.

Abstract: System and method for indicating network quality of service capability as a presence attribute of an end-user are described. One embodiment is an access network for providing quality of service (“QoS”) information of the access network. The access network comprises an Application Quality of Service (“AQS”) device that controls QoS parameters for the access network; a presence server that develops a QoS attribute of an end-user of the access network by collecting QoS attributes of the access network from the AQS device and collecting QoS attributes of an end-user device; and a Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”) server that communicates with the presence server to collect the QoS attribute of the end-user and communicates the QoS attribute to an edge router of another access network.

Abstract: A communications system provides customized messages based on presence and preference information by collecting presence information and preference information on a plurality of subscribers. The presence information includes information on the availability of a subscriber, while the preference information includes policies for different priority levels of callers. In response to unavailability of a called subscriber for a communication session, the communications manager transmits a customized response to the caller that is generated based on the presence information and the preference information of the called subscriber.

Abstract: System and method for automatic construction of the tooth's axes in terms of three orthogonal unit vectors are disclosed. Three dimensional data for a tooth is used to automatically construct the tooth's axes. System and methods for automatic construction of the axes for different types of teeth such as incisors, canines, premolars, and molars are disclosed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for implementing a constraint-based shortest path first (“CSPF”) technique for dynamically switched optical transport networks are described. One embodiment comprises a traffic network element (“TNE”) in a network comprising a traffic engineering network database (“TEND”) that stores network topology information for the network and bandwidth availability information for links in the network; and a routing engine that receives a request for a label switched path (“LSP”) with specified constraints, processes network topology information from the TEND to create a network graph comprising links meeting the specified constraints, and computes a primary path through the network, wherein the primary path comprises links selected from the network graph.

Abstract: System and method for automatic construction of orthodontic reference objects, such as the occlusal plane, arch form, and the local occlusal plane for a patient's teeth are disclosed. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented system and method for automatic construction of orthodontic reference objects comprises receiving three dimensional data for the teeth, setting an initial direction for a normal of the occlusal plane, determining tips for selected teeth, calculating a plane that matches the determined tip, and determining a new normal for the calculated plane.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatic detection of dental features, such as cusps, ridges, and grooves, are disclosed. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented system and method for automatic detection of dental features for an occlusal surface of a patient's tooth comprises receiving three dimensional data for the tooth's occlusal surface, projecting the three dimensional data into a two dimensional plane, forming a height map from the projected three dimensional data, and detecting a set of points from the height map.

Abstract: In one embodiment, acquiring a digital model of a patient's teeth, automatically detecting reference data or features based on the digital model, and automatically computing dental measurements based on said reference data or features, where the dental measurements are associated with an occlusal characteristic of the patient are disclosed.

Abstract: Method and system for implementing an inter-domain constraint-based shortest path first (“IrD-CSPF”) technique for supporting hierarchical routing in interconnected multi-domain OTNs are described. In one embodiment, the invention is a method for calculating a network path in an interconnected multi-domain network. The method comprises receiving a path setup request message for a new traffic flow in the network identifying a source node in one domain of the network and a destination node in a second domain of the network; determining a common ancestor hierarchical routing domain that includes ancestor nodes of both the source and destination nodes; calculating an inter-domain path from one ancestor node to the other ancestor node that determines, for each lower-level domain, border nodes in the domain from the source node to the destination node; and for each bottom-level domain, calculating an intra-domain path between the border nodes that were determined for the domain.

Abstract: A presence-enhanced smart name tag is implemented on a local application of a device. The local application identifies as a smart name tag a string of characters representing an identity of a presentity. The presentity identity is used to retrieve presence information indicating the availability of the presentity.

Abstract: A system and method are described herein that includes a presence server which is capable of notifying a watcher about a location of a person using a rich presence element in accordance with security and privacy rules specified by the person. In the preferred embodiment, the system uses a read/write RFID tag and RFID reader as well as a presence server to collect, store and distribute location information as a presence element to the watcher. To accomplish this, the user data and program carrying capability of the read/write RFID tag is used to push to the presence server not only location information but also policies and rules established by the user to control the distribution of the location information as a presence element to watchers. The location policy rules can be made and controlled by the user and/or a third party.

Abstract: A system and method are described herein that includes a presence server which is capable of notifying a watcher about a location of a person using a rich presence element in accordance with security and privacy rules specified by the person. In the preferred embodiment, the system uses a read/write RFID tag and RFID reader as well as a presence server to collect, store and distribute location information as a presence element to the watcher. To accomplish this, the user data and program carrying capability of the read/write RFID tag is used to push to the presence server not only location information but also policies and rules established by the user to control the distribution of the location information as a presence element to watchers. The location policy rules can be made and controlled by the user and/or a third party.

Abstract: A presence system for managing user groups includes a presence server for collecting and storing presence information and preference information on a plurality of presentities. The presence information for each presentity identifies the availability of the presentity, and the preference information for each presentity identifies a scope of presentity presence information provided to one or more watchers of the presentity. The presence server is capable of subscribing user groups formed of members including one or more presentities or one or more watchers, in which each of the user groups has group preference information associated therewith set in response to one or more members of the user group.

Abstract: A communications system for providing hotline and preemption features in real-time communication sessions includes a presence server for collecting presence and preference information for a presentity and a communications manager for handling requests for communication sessions with the presentity. The presence information includes availability of devices of the presentity, and the preference information includes a priority level granted to one or more watchers of the presentity. Upon receipt of a request from a watcher for a new communication session in a select media type, and in response to unavailability of the presentity due to a concurrent communication session in that media type, the communications manager determines the priority levels of the watchers for the new and concurrent communication sessions and preempts the concurrent communication session when the priority level of the watcher for the new communication session is greater than that of the watcher for the concurrent communication session.

Abstract: A communications system includes a presence server for collecting presence information and preference information for a presentity. The presence information includes availability of devices of the presentity, and the preference information includes a priority level for one or more initiators and preference indications for each media type supported by each device associated with the presentity. Upon receiving a request for a communication session of a particular media type with the presentity from an initiator, a communications manager identifies a list of devices of the presentity that support the media type and are accessible to the initiator based on the priority level granted to the initiator. The communications manager then identifies available devices on the list using the presence information, determines a preference value for each of the available devices based on the preference indications and selects one of the available devices having the highest preference value for the communication session.

Abstract: A presence server transforms a presentities preferences from a device view to a media view by collecting raw preference data from the presentity in a variety of formats and processing the raw preference data to determine a preferred order of media types. The raw preference data includes a preference indication for each media type supported by each device associated with the presentity. The preferred order of media types can be provided to a watcher of the presentity.

Abstract: A presence server determines a presentity's media status and availability for engaging in real-time communication sessions in a presence system by receiving, from the presentity, a maximum number of real-time interactions per real-time media types supported by the presentity, and collecting presence information identifying real-time communication sessions currently engaged in by the presentity. The presence server determines the media status for each of the real-time media types supported by the presentity based on the maximum number of interactions and the presence information, and determines available real-time media types from the determined media statuses.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for handling presence messages intended for an offline user. When an online user wants to send an instant message to an offline user, a presence-sensing server detects and notifies the online user of the status of the offline user. The presence-sensing server then can either store the instant message in the server or send the instant message to the offline user via his preset preferred means of contact. The offline user can then filter and decide whether to participate in an online instant messaging session with the online user or to respond while remaining offline using the non-instant message method.