Abstract: Systems and methods to secure authorized access are disclosed. A method includes receiving, an electronic device, a request to generate function-authorization settings including function-access data associated with a particular function of the electronic device to be protected. The method also includes prompting for and receiving function-access data. The received function-access data includes first function-access data that specifies access credentials of a first user to access the particular function and second function-access data that specifies access credentials of a second user to access the particular function. The method also includes associating the received function-access data with the particular function and storing the function-authorization settings including the received function-access data at a memory of the electronic device.

Abstract: A method that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, receiving an assignment to provide communication services to a communication device, supplying a first telephone number mapping system of a first internet protocol multimedia subsystem communication system with contact information of the communication device and a serving call session control function operating in the first internet protocol multimedia subsystem communication system, supplying a second telephone number mapping system of a second internet protocol multimedia subsystem communication system with contact information of the communication device and the serving call session control function, and receiving a session initiation protocol INVITE from an originating serving call session control function of the second internet protocol multimedia subsystem communication system for establishing communications with the communication device. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for recovering from a catastrophic failure that results in a large number of user endpoints attempting to come on line simultaneously after an NGN is restored. In an enhanced DNS load balancer, DNS queries from the user end points relating to a particular NGN edge device are selectively dropped if a rate of queries for the particular edge device suddenly increases or exceeds a threshold. The query dropping may also be based in part on the class of service assigned to the user endpoint.

Abstract: A secure payment method includes receiving, at a computer of a payment service, a request from a requester for a one time use transaction identification token for a transaction. The one time use transaction identification token is provided from the payment service computer to the requester. The one time use transaction identification token is received at the payment service from a merchant communications apparatus under the control of a merchant. Electronic payment information for the transaction is issued from the payment service to the merchant upon validating the one time use transaction identification token.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Unified Messaging System having a controller element to submit to a Calling Card Server (CCS) over a primary call leg a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) SUBSCRIBE message requesting outdial event notification for a call placed on a secondary call leg responsive to a reply of a voicemail message, and receive over the primary call leg a SIP NOTIFY message from the CCS indicating outdial events associated with placing the call over the secondary call leg. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A mechanism controls global synchronization, or registration floods, that may result when a large number of endpoints in a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network such as an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) come online simultaneously after a catastrophic failure. The mechanism allows the Domain Name System (DNS) infrastructure to efficiently control the overload condition by registering user end points with backup border elements, and by staggering and by randomizing the time-to-live (TTL) parameter in registrations with backup border elements.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a proactive scheduler having a controller element to determine a scheduling conflict between a called party and a calling party according to calendar information of the called party and presence information of the called party. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a call to a destination associated with multiple group members in a unified messaging system by determining a prioritized order of the group members for presentation to caller and receiving a selection from the caller. The order of the group members can be determined based on call histories, address books, and distribution lists of the calling party and the group members of the destination. A weighted score is computed for each group member, and the group members are sorted based on the weighted scores. The sorted list of group members is then presented to the calling party for selection. Based on the calling party's selection the unified messaging system can further process the call.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present disclosure is a method and apparatus for dynamically controlling Internet Protocol packet flows in a Voice over Internet Protocol network. In one embodiment, a method for controlling flows of packets in a network includes obtaining a list identifying at least one user element that is authorized to register with the network and dynamically configuring a manner in which at least one border element handles the packets in accordance with the list.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, one or more components for receiving a call request at a first server from a first end user device, transmitting the call request from a first server to an intermediate server for establishing a voice or video call over an IP multimedia subsystem between the first end user device and a second end user device via a second server, and routing the voice or video call request from the first server to the second server using a second IP address when an undesired condition is determined to be associated with the IP multimedia subsystem. The second IP address can be obtained from a group of IP addresses stored in a memory of the first server and the group of IP addresses can be associated with other servers. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A technique for scheduling conferences includes receiving a conference request, which includes an invitee list, a prioritized list of preferred media types, and one or more times for a conference associated with the conference request. The conference is requested with respective invitees associated with the invitee list (via respective subscriber terminals) and it is determined whether the respective invitees can be scheduled for the conference. The conference is scheduled between a conference requester (associated with the conference request) and available ones of the respective invitees, when mandatory attendees, included within the respective invitees, are available.

Abstract: Facsimile transcoding is dynamically invoked for devices that do not support T.38 fax protocol. In this way, a unified messaging platform can process facsimiles from endpoints that are not T.38 capable without using without digital signal processor resources. Dynamic fax transcoding can be performed at a session border controller, allowing transcoding resources to be engaged only for non-T.38 endpoints rather than for all calls on an interface.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, receiving a request for a voice call at an interrogating call session control function server of an internet protocol multimedia subsystem where the call is associated with an originating communication device, transmitting a mapping query from the interrogating call session control function server to a database to obtain an internet protocol address for establishing the call with a recipient communication device in response to the request for the call, and routing the request to a server of the internet protocol multimedia subsystem or a second server based on a response to the mapping query provided by the database. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to route emergency communication sessions are disclosed. An example method involves querying a gateway node cache in response to a first broadcast probe received at a node of a wireless Internet-based network. When the gateway node cache identifies a first gateway node, a first response is selectively sent to nodes that participated in a search flood associated with the first broadcast probe.

Abstract: A system and method of delivering ringback audio content are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a connection request at an originating serving call session control function (S-CSCF) network element. The connection request indicates that a caller device has placed a call to a destination device associated with a ringback audio content service subscriber. The method also includes receiving a plurality of naming authority pointer (NAPTR) records at the originating S-CSCF network element from a telephone number mapping (ENUM) server. The NAPTR records include a plurality of ringback audio uniform resource indicators (URIs) associated with the destination device. The method also includes modifying the connection request to include the plurality of ringback audio URIs.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for communicating information about transcription progress from a unified messaging (UM) server to a UM client. In one embodiment, the transcription progress describes speech to text transcription of speech messages such as voicemail. The UM server authenticates and establishes a session with a UM client, then receives a get message list request from a UM client as of a first time, responds to the get message list request with a view of a state of messages and available transcriptions for transcribable messages in a list of messages associated with the get message list call at the first time, and, at a second time subsequent to the first time, transmits to the UM client a notification that provides an indication of progress for at least one transcription not yet complete in the list of messages. The messages can include video.

Abstract: A system and method of providing ringback video are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a connection request at an originating serving call session control function (S-CSCF) network element. The connection request indicates that a caller device has placed a call to a destination device associated with a ringback video service subscriber. The method also includes receiving a plurality of naming authority pointer (NAPTR) records at the originating S-CSCF network element from a telephone number mapping (ENUM) server. The NAPTR records include a plurality of ringback video uniform resource indicators (URIs) associated with the destination device. The method also includes modifying the connection request to include the plurality of ringback video URIs and sending the modified connection request to a terminating S-CSCF that communicates with the destination device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for social networking in a dynamic environment. In one embodiment, a method for social networking in a network includes broadcasting a first set of one or more keywords representing one or more interests of a first user in the network, receiving a response from a second user in the network indicating interest in at least one of the interests of the first user, and connecting to a server in the network, where the server hosts a group for supporting communications between at least the first network user and the second network user.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for managing transcription resources. A system practicing the method retrieves a class of service for a subscriber recipient of a message deposited at a first server for transcription by a second server, determines a probability of near-term access of the message by the subscriber, assigns a weight to the message based on the class of service and the probability of the near-term access, and transcribes, at the second server, the message based on the weight. Classes of service can include a real-time class of service and/or one or more non-real-time class of service. The probability of near-term access can be based on subscriber presence, subscriber receipt of a new message notification, historical statistics of subscriber message access times, message urgency, and other message metadata. A channel manager can manage a finite number of channels between the first and second servers.

Abstract: A system and method of communication in an IMS network is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a call processing server having a controller element that receives from a terminal device a calling ID for establishing communications with a called party, submits to a telephone number mapping (ENUM) server a query corresponding to the calling ID, receives from the ENUM server a plurality of communication identifiers retrieved from a Naming Authority Pointer record according to a grade of service (GoS) of the called party, and selects according to the GoS of the called party a communication identifier from the plurality of communication identifiers to establish communications with the called party. Additional embodiments are disclosed.