Abstract: A ceiling vent assembly has a frame that is open at its top and bottom and a pair of louvers pivotably mounted in the frame such that each louver pivots between an open position and a closed position relative to the frame. Each louver has a pivot end, wherein the pivot end is located adjacent to but spaced apart from the pivot end of a second louver of the pair of louvers. The ceiling vent assembly has a sealing mechanism with a flange extending from the pivot end of each louver of the pair of louvers, wherein the flange from the first louver contacts the flange from the second louver in a space between the louvers such that the sealing mechanism reduces the flow of air through the space when the first and second louvers are in either the open or closed positions.

Abstract: A ceiling vent assembly has a frame and a pair of louvers pivotably mounted in the frame such that each of the louvers pivots between an open position and a closed position. Each of the louvers has a pivot end, wherein the pivot end of a first louver of the pair of louvers is located adjacent to but spaced apart from the pivot end of a second louver of the pair of louvers. The ceiling vent has a sealing mechanism positioned in the space between the first and second louvers so as to press on the pivot ends of the first and second louvers such that the sealing mechanism reduces the flow of air through the space. When the first and second louvers pivot between the open and closed positions, the pivot end of the first and second louvers slide relative the sealing mechanism.

Abstract: A ceiling vent assembly has a frame and a pair of louvers pivotably mounted in the frame such that each of the louvers pivots between an open position and a closed position. Each of the louvers has a pivot end, wherein the pivot end of a first louver of the pair of louvers is located adjacent to but spaced apart from the pivot end of a second louver of the pair of louvers. The ceiling vent has a sealing mechanism positioned in the space between the first and second louvers so as to press on the pivot ends of the first and second louvers such that the sealing mechanism reduces the flow of air through the space. When the first and second louvers pivot between the open and closed positions, the pivot end of the first and second louvers slide relative the sealing mechanism.

Abstract: A ceiling vent assembly for use in a ceiling of an animal house. The ceiling vent assembly has a frame that is open at its top and bottom and a pair of louvers pivotably mounted in the frame such that each louver of the pair of louvers pivots between an open position and a closed position relative the frame. Each louver of the pair louvers has a pivot end, wherein the pivot end of a first louver of the pair of louvers is located adjacent to but spaced apart from the pivot end of a second louver of the pair of louvers. The ceiling vent assembly has a sealing mechanism with a flange extending from the pivot end of each louver of the pair of louvers, wherein the flange from the first louver contacts the flange from the second louver in a space between the louvers such that the sealing mechanism reduces the flow of air through the space when the first and second louvers are in either the open or closed positions.

Abstract: The embodiments herein provide a system and a method managing, auditing and troubleshooting an IP device. The system comprises a bridge device that (a) initiates a first secure connection with, or responds to a connection request from an admin device, (b) connects to a device registry and downloads information associated with the IP device, (c) downloads and installs a connector to connect with the IP device as a plug-in module, (d) forms or joins a second secure connection with the agent device to manage, audit and troubleshoot IP device, (e) forms, on approval from the admin device, a third secure connection, between the bridge device and the IP device and (f) secures and relays information from the second secure connection to the third secure connection when the second secure connection and the third secure connection are connected together.

Abstract: A conference system is provided with enhanced settings capabilities. A controller can poll for settings at each endpoint in a conference system and be able via the video stream to selectively display and compare settings among the endpoints. One location can push its settings to one or more locations to overcome failures or degradation in the conference. The settings between different controllers may be rationalized via a common denominator method or tabular method to build a knowledge of how to configure conferences and to automate responses to problems.

Abstract: Systems and methods for feature reconstruction as well as dialog preservation during a server failure are described. Specifically, failover mechanisms are described which enable an endpoint to remain involved in a communication session as well as have communication features preserved during the communication session even though a server initially providing those communication features has failed. A survivable server is also described that has the ability to reconstruct features as well as dialogs based on state information received from the endpoint involved in the communication session.

Abstract: A conference system is provided with enhanced settings capabilities. A controller can poll for settings at each endpoint in a conference system and be able via the video stream to selectively display and compare settings among the endpoints. One location can push its settings to one or more locations to overcome failures or degradation in the conference. The settings between different controllers may be rationalized via a common denominator method or tabular method to build a knowledge of how to configure conferences and to automate responses to problems.

Abstract: A conference system is provided with enhanced settings capabilities. A controller can poll for settings at each endpoint in a conference system and be able via the video stream to selectively display and compare settings among the endpoints. One location can push its settings to one or more locations to overcome failures or degradation in the conference. The settings between different controllers may be rationalized via a common denominator method or tabular method to build a knowledge of how to configure conferences and to automate responses to problems.

Abstract: The embodiments herein provide a system and a method managing, auditing and troubleshooting an IP device. The system comprises a bridge device that (a) initiates a first secure connection with, or responds to a connection request from an admin device, (b) connects to a device registry and downloads information associated with the IP device, (c) downloads and installs a connector to connect with the IP device as a plug-in module, (d) forms or joins a second secure connection with the agent device to manage, audit and troubleshoot IP device, (e) forms, on approval from the admin device, a third secure connection, between the bridge device and the IP device and (f) secures and relays information from the second secure connection to the third secure connection when the second secure connection and the third secure connection are connected together.

Abstract: A first communication device sends a call request to a second communication device. The call request comprises a source address associated with the first device and a destination address associated with the second communication device. A communication system modifies the call request by replacing or augmenting the source address with a dynamic address and adding a key associated with the source address. The modified request is sent to the second device. If a user at the second device wants to make a return call, a call request is sent using the dynamic address as the destination address along with the key. The call request is routed to the first communication address by determining the source address of the first communication device from the key.

Abstract: Components of a telephone system often do not evolve in lock-step with other system improvements. For a variety of reasons, a component in a system may be operational to enable telephone calls utilizing a particular dialing format but be inoperable for calls utilizing a different format. Telephone number formats were initially numeric. The number of digits and format of the digits was often determined based on a country-specific dialing plan. Many countries have moved to more digits or alphanumeric formats (e.g., URIs). By capturing these enhanced addresses and generating an associated unique identifier, internal networks may utilize legacy numbering systems internally and, once the call reaches an edge device, route them based upon the enhanced address.

Abstract: A communication processor receives a call request to establish a communication session from a first communication endpoint to a second communication endpoint. The communication processor changes the intent of the call request. For example, the call request can be changed by automatically forwarding the call request, automatically forking the call request, automatically rejecting the call request based on the second communication endpoint being busy, and/or changing a first type of medium of the communication session to a second type of medium of the communication session. A call log manager conveys status information regarding the changed intent of the call to a call log of the second communication endpoint based on changing the intent of the call request.

Abstract: Components of a telephone system often do not evolve in lock-step with other system improvements. For a variety of reasons, a component in a system may be operational to enable telephone calls utilizing a particular dialing format but be inoperable for calls utilizing a different format. Telephone number formats were initially numeric. The number of digits and format of the digits was often determined based on a country-specific dialing plan. Many countries have moved to more digits or alphanumeric formats (e.g., URIs). By capturing these enhanced addresses and generating an associated unique identifier, internal networks may utilize legacy numbering systems internally and, once the call reaches an edge device, route them based upon the enhanced address.

Abstract: A communication processor receives a call request to establish a communication session from a first communication endpoint to a second communication endpoint. The communication processor changes the intent of the call request. For example, the call request can be changed by automatically forwarding the call request, automatically forking the call request, automatically rejecting the call request based on the second communication endpoint being busy, and/or changing a first type of medium of the communication session to a second type of medium of the communication session. A call log manager conveys status information regarding the changed intent of the call to a call log of the second communication endpoint based on changing the intent of the call request.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a composite conference environment are disclosed. More particularly, a virtual reality environment (VRE) that can accommodate the inclusion of a conventional multipoint conference as a registered user or individual participants in a conventional multipoint conference as registered users within a composite conference environment hosted by the VRE is provided. Accordingly, a conference that is spread across multiple servers, namely a virtual reality server and a conventional multipoint conference server, can be created and moderated. Moreover, audio/video streams, features, and control can be provided to all users participating in the composite conference environment.

Abstract: Systems and methods for feature reconstruction as well as dialog preservation during a server failure are described. Specifically, failover mechanisms are described which enable an endpoint to remain involved in a communication session as well as have communication features preserved during the communication session even though a server initially providing those communication features has failed. A survivable server is also described that has the ability to reconstruct features as well as dialogs based on state information received from the endpoint involved in the communication session.

Abstract: A conference system provides metadata about the display of a multimedia stream to allow communication endpoints to control the format of a video conference. A multipoint control unit (MCU) can provide metadata that describes the display layout and other information about the multimedia stream. After setting up the conference, the MCU can generate a layout description in eXstensible Markup Language (XML) that can be sent to and understood by the communication endpoints. The communication endpoints can read and interpret the XML metadata to determine how the display layout is configured. If desired by the user, the communication endpoint can change the display layout or other multimedia stream function based on the received metadata.

Abstract: A first communication device sends a call request to a second communication device. The call request comprises a source address associated with the first device and a destination address associated with the second communication device. A communication system modifies the call request by replacing or augmenting the source address with a dynamic address and adding a key associated with the source address. The modified request is sent to the second device. If a user at the second device wants to make a return call, a call request is sent using the dynamic address as the destination address along with the key. The call request is routed to the first communication address by determining the source address of the first communication device from the key.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a composite conference environment are disclosed. More particularly, a virtual reality environment (VRE) that can accommodate the inclusion of a conventional multipoint conference as a registered user or individual participants in a conventional multipoint conference as registered users within a composite conference environment hosted by the VRE is provided. Accordingly, a conference that is spread across multiple servers, namely a virtual reality server and a conventional multipoint conference server, can be created and moderated. Moreover, audio/video streams, features, and control can be provided to all users participating in the composite conference environment.