Abstract: A method and an apparatus for managing signal-processing resources of a multimedia platform that is designed for applying signal-processing operations to multimedia signals defines multimedia functions each capable of monitoring the operation of a set of multimedia platform signal-processing resources, puts them in contact, adapts the contents of the signal-processing resource set depending on the multimedia signal to be processed, and uses the multimedia functions to apply the signal-processing operations to the multimedia signals.

Abstract: A plurality of Goertzel filters whose operating frequencies are distributed across the voice baseband are used to detect voice and control tones in a signal. Filters operating at frequencies of control tones and detecting that most of the signal energy occurs at those frequencies indicates presence of the control tones. At least three of the filters detecting that about 10% to 20% of the signal energy occurs at each of their operating frequencies indicate presence of voice. The total energy detected in the signal being below a noise threshold indicates presence of noise or silence.

Abstract: In a computer-telephony integrated (CTI) contact center, a CTI adjunct (160) enqueues contacts in contact queues (184) of the CTI adjunct, but also causes contacts that are calls (168) to be enqueued as ACD calls in ACD call queues (120) of an ACD system (101), whereby the ACD system and its management information system (MIS 110) provide ACD features to the calls. Similarly, the CTI adjunct enqueues agents in agent queues (185) of the CTI adjunct, but also causes agents (102-104) that have call-handling skills to log into and to be enqueued as ACD agents in ACD agent queues (130) of the ACD system, whereby the ACD system and its MIS provide ACD features to the agents.

Abstract: A firewall clustering system connects two or more firewalls between an internal network and an external network. The plurality of two or more firewalls are combined to supply high-availability and scaling of processing capacity. Firewalls maintain client-server state information. Flow controllers are connected to the firewalls and placed on both the internal “trusted” side and the external “untrusted” side of the firewalls. Flow controllers are placed on both sides of the firewalls to ensure that traffic for a given client-server session flows through the same firewall in both inbound and outbound directions. The firewalls perform filtering operations and/or network address translation (NAT) services. In both cases, the flow controllers supply high availability, scalability, and traffic distribution for the firewalls in the firewall cluster.

Abstract: The accent of a party to a call is determined from a speech sample of the party and the call is sent for servicing to a call-center agent who has skill in the determined accent, and preferably to an agent who speaks both the determined language and the language of the accent.

Abstract: A system for using an under-utilized data channel for carrying additional data, in a network mode. One such channel is the D-channel in the ISDN system. In one implementation, a group of telephone call centers share data, using the D-channel, about the lengths of time incoming callers must wait before being answered. Using the shared data, the call centers collectively route incoming calls to call centers having smaller waiting times.

Abstract: A router routes calls to a network of call centers based on estimated call in-queue wait times (EWTs). The router periodically polls all call centers for the EWT and average advance time (AAT) of each queue, and increments each received EWT by a product of the AAT and the number of calls sent to that queue during the network delay time. Between polls, each time that an AAT period expires, its corresponding EWT is decremented by the AAT (but not below zero). When a call is received for processing by a skill/split, the router sends it to the skill/split queue that presently has the shortest EWT, and increments that EWT by the corresponding AAT.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for distributing events in a data processing system from an event generator to an event recipient, while retaining processing control at the event generator. A manager object is created to manage the event generator's event calls. In response to an event, a distributor object is created and assigned a new thread of execution. When multiple event recipients exist, a slave object is created for each recipient, with each slave assigned to a new thread of execution. The slave object distributes the event by calling an interface method that is created as part of the event generator.

Abstract: When a call to a call center is enqueued to await an agent or placed on hold by an agent, an applet customized to satisfy an in-queue experience selected by the caller is downloaded to and executed on the caller's terminal. The applet presents information to the caller, and may also interact with the caller by, for example, gathering information from the caller. The time needed for execution of the selected applet is within a wait time negotiated with the caller. Preferably, the caller is identified (e.g., via the caller's address or identifier), and the applet is further customized for that caller's preferences, e.g., based on previously-gathered and stored information about that caller. When the agent is about ready to take the call, the caller is alerted. When an agent dequeues the call or takes the call off hold, connection of the agent with the client is (re)established.

Abstract: Disclosed is an arrangement for secure and controlled electronic distribution of documents from a server (102) to clients (101) across an electronic network (100), e.g., the Internet. A client requests (200) authentication from the server. The server validates (202) the request and sends (206) a validation and encryption data (129) to the client to establish a secure communications connection with the client. The client returns (210) a request for a document accompanied by the client ID (131) to the server. The server validates (212) the request and uses the client ID to set (216) permissions of the client for the document. The server then uses the encryption data to encrypt (220) the document and its permissions, and sends (224) the encrypted information to the client. The client acknowledges (230) receipt of the document, decrypts (228) it by using the encryption data, and enforces (232) the permissions on the document.

Abstract: A global data sharing environment and data sharing proxy agent for multiple application instances in an object oriented processing system are disclosed. In response to an object in an application instance calling a data storage method, a local data sharing environment is generated that corresponds to the requesting object's application instance. As a data storage or retrieval method is processed, data is stored in or retrieved from the local data sharing environment. Data can also be shared between objects in separate application instances using the global data sharing environment.

Abstract: A router clustering system connects two or more routers to a one or more distinct Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in a complete high-availability arrangement. Typically the two or more routers connect to a plurality of ISPs at a site so that an outage of one ISP does not affect connectivity and availability to the site. The router clustering system typically includes a plurality of clustering units for redundancy that avoids difficulties that arise with a single point of failure. For example two clustering units may be used in an active-passive high-availability configuration. A router cluster creator creates or configures a router cluster. To create a router cluster, an administrator assigns to the cluster a logical Internet protocol (IP) address IPgw and specifies routers that are members of the cluster.

Abstract: A VPN device clustering system connects two or more VPN devices on one side of a virtual private network to a similarly clustered system of two or more VPN devices on the other side of a virtual private network. The VPN device clustering system typically includes a plurality of clustering units for redundancy that avoids difficulties that arise with a single point of failure. For example two clustering units may be used in an active-passive high-availability configuration. A VPN device cluster creator creates or configures a VPN device cluster. To create a VPN device cluster, an administrator assigns to the cluster a logical Internet protocol (IP) address IPvpn and specifies VPN devices that are members of the cluster.

Abstract: In a customer contact center (100), a plurality of customers' communications are serviced simultaneously by one resource (120-128) (agent or port). A conferencing function (136) connects the plurality of customers (110-118) to the one resource and/or to each other. When a resource becomes available, a batch service function (140) determines (206-226), for each skill of the resource, the value to the contact center of having the resource presently serve communications needing that skill, and uses the conferencing function to conference (234-236) a plurality of communications needing the skill having the highest value with the resource. The conference connection may be listen-only, listen-and-talk, or listen-only/then listen-and-talk.

Abstract: A call center (100) rejects further calls when the sum of the present time, the anticipated call in-queue wait time (112), and the anticipated call service time (114) for this type (106-108) of call exceeds the closing time of the call center. The call center may redirect the rejected calls to another call center if it determines that the other call center can service them by its closing time.

Abstract: In a computer integrated telephony call center where an adjunct host (160) normally controls enqueuing of calls (168) in call queues (120) of an ACD system (101) and corresponding call queues (120′) of the adjunct host and assigning of the enqueued calls to agents, the ACD system assumes (604) control over its call queues upon loss of the control by the adjunct host (e.g., upon failure (600) of the adjunct host). The ACD system flags (602, 606) all calls that are enqueued at the time of loss of the adjunct host control as well as all calls that the ACD subsequently enqueues as being under ACD system control. When the adjunct host regains its control ability, the ACD system stops flagging new calls, call queues of the host processor are cleared (702), and the adjunct host regains control (722) of enqueuing calls in call queues of the ACD and the adjunct host.

Abstract: A multimedia processing system architecture performs a plurality of multimedia tasks on multimedia data using a plurality of multimedia processing blocks, at least one communication bus to carry the flow of multimedia data between the multimedia processing blocks. An application interface manages the multimedia processing blocks. For each multimedia task, the application interface creates a subset of multimedia processing blocks to be assembled in order to run the multimedia task. In this architecture, each multimedia processing block comprises at least one input interface to connect it in receive mode to a communication bus and/or at least one output interface to connect it in send mode to a communication bus.

Abstract: The BIOS device (108) or some other secure store of a portable computer (PC 100) or other valuable device stores a password-based security program (302), an encrypted password (306), and an encryption key (304). When the PC is booted, the security program executes first and prompts the user for a password, encrypts it with the stored key, and compares it with the stored password. If the passwords do not match, boot is aborted and the PC is disabled. Only if the passwords do match is boot continued and use of the PC enabled. If this security measure is advertised, theft of the PC is deterred because of the difficulty of accessing or bypassing the password and the security program in the BIOS device. The encrypted password is also registered with a remote trusted certificate authority (TCA 150) or is stored on a local external storage device (250). To establish or change the password, a communication connection is established from the PC to the TCA or storage device.

Abstract: An electromagnetic gasket (110) combines a compressible substrate (300, 504/504′, 804) carrying a conductive material (302, 502, 802) and a hook-and-loop fastener (114/304, 400/504/504′, 804) to provide both the mechanical function of removably mounting a door (102) on a cabinet (100) and the electromagnetic function of shielding against EMI emissions even if the door becomes warped.

Abstract: Interface description documents define the appearance and behavior of a user interface (132) toward the user, and feature description documents define interaction of the interface with the interfaced-to application, both in conformity with a user-interface object model (310). Connector and layout object plug-ins (126, 128) define connector and layout objects for rendering elements of feature and interface description documents, respectively; of one or more interfaces. An interactor (130), independent of any interface or interface type, the application, and the user device (100,200), generates user interfaces from the stored information.