Abstract: Multi-modal applications are capable of interacting with a user in a voice mode, a visual mode, and/or other modes of communication. Mode swapping refers to the process of changing from one mode of communication (or one combination of modes) to another. Mode swapping may be initiated by a user, by an application, or by another entity. Mode swapping may be performed “adaptively,” in that an entity monitors the effectiveness of a communication mode and initiates a mode swap if communication is proceeding non-optimally in the current mode. Mode swapping may be performed by dropping a call to a telephone terminal in the currently-open mode and placing a call to that same device in another mode. In one embodiment, logic for mode swapping resides on a gateway proxy that mediates communication between an application and a telephone terminal.

Abstract: A technique for synchronizing a visual browser and a voice browser. A visual browser is used to navigate through visual content, such as WML pages. During the navigation, the visual browser creates a historical record of events that have occurred during the navigation. The voice browser uses this historical record to navigate the content in the same manner as occurred-on the visual browser, thereby synchronizing to a state equivalent to that of the visual browser. The creation of the historical record may be performed by using a script to trap events, where the script contains code that records the trapped events. The synchronization technique may be used with a multi-modal application that permits the mode of input/output (I/O) to be changed between visual and voice browsers. When the mode is changed from visual to voice, the record of events captured by the visual browser is provided to the voice browser, thereby allowing the I/O mode to change seamlessly from visual to voice.

Abstract: A system for enabling multi-modal bookmarks comprises a bookmark repository coupled to two browsers. A user bookmarks content using a first browser, and a bookmark is stored in the bookmark repository. The user subsequently uses a second browser and requests that the bookmark be de-referenced to point the second browser to the bookmarked content. The second browser accesses the bookmark in the content repository and is directed to the bookmarked content. The first and second browsers may be visual and voice browsers that render Wireless Markup Language (WML) and Voice Extensible Markup Language (VXML) content, respectively, wherein a mapping is provided that links a given piece of visual content to an equivalent piece of voice content.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for incrementally maintaining a database having at least one materialized view based on at least one table. When changes to the table are received, a change table based on the received changes is generated. The generated change table is propagated upwards to form a higher-level change table and the materialized view is updated by applying the higher-level change table to the materialized view using a refresh operation. In one aspect, the change table includes a plurality of tuples representing the changes and the materialized view includes a plurality of tuples. The refresh operation has two parameters, a join condition and an update function specification. The materialized view is updated by finding all tuples in the materialized view that match the tuple in the change table, using the join condition, for each tuple in the change table and updating each found tuple in the materialized view by performing operations indicated by the update function specification.

Abstract: A messaging system, and method of operation thereof, which supports combinations of directory and mailing list addressing mechanisms. Intended message recipients are specified as declarative addresses, which may include combinations of directory and mailing list information. The messaging system includes a messaging server and an address resolution module. The messaging server receives a message from a sender system and transmits the message to the recipient system. The address resolution module, which is coupled to the messaging server, receives a declarative address associated with the message, resolves the declarative address into at least one messaging address and transmits the at least one messaging address to the messaging server. In one embodiment, a database system may be coupled to the address resolution module to allow address resolution based on information stored in a database.

Abstract: A messaging system that handles messages of any kind, and a method of operation thereof, in which advanced messaging services can be implemented for multiple users, across multiple mail clients, in a more flexible and less limited fashion than previous messaging systems. The messaging system includes a plurality of messaging entities together having a state. An event supplier detects a change in the state of the messaging entities and generates an event announcement. An event manager receives the event announcement and generates an event notification. An event consumer receives the event notification and examines or manipulates at least one messaging entity.

Abstract: A messaging system, and method of operation thereof, which supports combinations of directory and mailing list addressing mechanisms. Intended message recipients are specified as declarative addresses, which may include combinations of directory and mailing list information. The messaging system includes a messaging server and an address resolution module. The messaging server receives a message from a sender system and transmits the message to the recipient system. The address resolution module, which is coupled to the messaging server, receives a declarative address associated with the message, resolves the declarative address into at least one messaging address and transmits the at least one messaging address to the messaging server. In one embodiment, a database system may be coupled to the address resolution module to allow address resolution based on information stored in a database.

Abstract: A messaging system, and method of operation thereof, which supports combinations of directory and mailing list addressing mechanisms. Intended message recipients are specified as declarative addresses, which may include combinations of directory and mailing list information. The messaging system includes a messaging server and an address resolution module. The messaging server receives a message from a sender system and transmits the message to the recipient system. The address resolution module, which is coupled to the messaging server, receives a declarative address associated with the message, resolves the declarative address into at least one messaging address and transmits the at least one messaging address to the messaging server. In one embodiment, a database system may be coupled to the address resolution module to allow address resolution based on information stored in a database.

Abstract: A method of processing transaction charges from continuing billing arrangements that allows such charges to continue to be authorized after the account number to which the charges are directed has been invalidated, such as would result if the account number related to a credit or debit card that was lost, stolen or expired, or to a checking or savings account that was closed or transferred. A security key is used to indicate charges that are to be authorized after the account number has been invalidated. Charges that include the key are authorized, while charges that do not include the key are rejected.

Abstract: The present invention is a messaging system, and method of operation thereof, which provides message recipients with control over the delivery of message and charges the cost of a message to the sender of the message. A message is received at a messaging server from a sender system, the message including an indication of a recipient system. A notification message is transmitted to the recipient system, allowing the message recipient to determine whether they desire the message to be delivered. If so, an activation message is received from the recipient system and the message is transmitted to the recipient system. A charge for the message is assessed to the sender of the message. The message is stored in the messaging server until the activation message is received. At least a portion of the assessed charge may be credited or debited to the recipient of the message.

Abstract: A method and system of implementing a loan in a billing system includes memory storing information relating to the loan, the information including a principal balance of the loan, a term of the loan, and an interest rate of the loan. A prepayment amount that is a portion of the principal balance of the loan is selected. A present value of the prepayment amount is determined and a discount amount is selected. A discounted prepayment amount is determined based on the prepayment amount and the present value of the prepayment amount. The discount amount may be less than, equal to or greater than the difference between the prepayment amount and the present value of the prepayment amount. The discount amount may be greater than the difference, for example, for promotional purposes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method provide an interrupt-based add-on service for use in a service subscription system having a central service provider and at least one subscriber unit. The interrupt-based system includes a database for storing subscriber information specific to at least one subscriber, where the subscriber information includes at least one subscriber selectable condition. The system further includes a computer for interrupting a service request when the service request satisfies at least one subscriber selectable condition and for making a service connection when the service request does not match the subscriber selectable condition.

Abstract: The apparatus and method of the present invention provide passive information access for use in a service subscription system having a service provider and at least one subscriber unit. The passive information access system includes a database, a receiver for detecting initialization signals from a subscriber unit, a host computer for identifying the subscriber unit based on the detected initialization signals, accessing from the database subscriber information specific to the identified subscriber unit, and presenting at least a portion of the accessed subscriber information to the identified subscriber unit. Thus, when the subscriber turns on the subscriber unit, a portion of the relevant subscriber information is passively displayed on a display or announced by a voice activator. Additionally, the host computer detects termination signals from the subscriber unit and updates the subscriber information following the termination.

Abstract: Query optimization which is done by making a graph of the query and moving predicates around in the graph so that they will be applied early in the optimized query generated from the graph. Predicates are first propagated up from child nodes of the graph to parent nodes and then down into different child nodes. After the predicates have been moved, redundant predicates are detected and removed. Predicates are moved through aggregation operations and new predicates are deduced from aggregation operations and from functional dependencies. The optimization is not dependent on join order and works where nodes of the graph cannot be merged.