Abstract: An intelligent telephone network provides personalized communication services based on a voice identification of the subscriber. Specifically, when a person requests a service, the network executes a speech processing operation, to identify the person or a party that the person is calling as a known subscriber. One or more switching offices of the network utilize profile data associated with the identified subscriber to control services. The personalized service applies both to incoming and outgoing calls. The network can provide the personalized services to several subscribers sharing a common line. For incoming calls to such a line, the network executes an interactive procedure to determine from the caller which subscriber she is calling. If the line is free, the switch applies distinctive ringing. If the line is in use, the switch uses the profile of the identified subscriber to provide a distinctive call waiting tone or a voice message over the line.

Abstract: A bastion host is provided for a local area network (LAN). The bastion host processes packets to be transferred from the LAN to a wide area network (WAN). The bastion host intercepts packets originating from a host on the LAN, the packets being destined for transmission over the WAN, extracts bits from predetermined fields from each packet header to form one or more blocks for translation, masks bits from the one or more blocks that vary rapidly packet to packet, applies a predetermined encryption algorithm to translate the one or more blocks after masking; and reinserts bits from the translated block back into the packet header.

Abstract: Techniques for generating, distributing, and using speech recognition models are described. A shared speech processing facility is used to support speech recognition for a wide variety of devices with limited capabilities including business computer systems, personal data assistants, etc., which are coupled to the speech processing facility via a communications channel, e.g., the Internet. Devices with audio capture capability record and transmit to the speech processing facility, via the Internet, digitized speech and receive speech processing services, e.g., speech recognition model generation and/or speech recognition services, in response. The Internet is used to return speech recognition models and/or information identifying recognized words or phrases. Thus, the speech processing facility can be used to provide speech recognition capabilities to devices without such capabilities and/or to augment a device's speech processing capability.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implementing call forwarding services using AIN techniques and next event list messages are described. Methods of notifying a subscriber of a call forwarded using AIN techniques are also described. In accordance with one feature of the present invention, a subscriber is allowed to set the number of rings which are allowed to occur prior to a call being forwarded. The number of rings, e.g., the ring count, is stored as part of a customer's call processing record (CPR) which is used by a service control point (SCP) to implement the call forwarding service. The ring count information may be updated via the Internet or via a dial-up telephone connection. Call forwarding customers are provided with a distinctive ring, e.g., a ring shorter than an ordinary telephone ring, to notify them when a call is being forwarded. Distinctive rings may be used to distinguish between different forwarding services.

Abstract: A system for analyzing an interactive voice response (IVR) system of a call processing center determines a complete sequence of events occurring within the IVR system. The IVR system being operable to automatically accept calls from callers and respond to input from the callers. The system models a call flow of the IVR system as a non-deterministic finite-state automaton. A recording of a plurality of calls to the call processing center is split, such that each of plural calls to the call center is in one audio file. For a plurality of calls, the system detects a complete sequence of DTMF and/or speech input to the IVR system, detects selected prompts issued by the IVR system, and inputs the detected sequence of DTMF and/or speech input as well as the detected prompts issued by the IVR system into the finite-state automaton to determine a call-event sequence for that call. The call-event sequence includes information regarding how that call left the IVR system.

Abstract: Using intelligent network processing, call notification allows a subscriber to determine the name and telephone number of one or more numbers of recent parties to call the subscriber. An incoming call to the subscriber's number activates a terminating attempt type trigger in the central office serving the subscriber. The trigger causes communication between that office and a service control point (SCP). Under instructions from the SCP, the central office indicates a disposition event regarding the call, e.g., whether the line was busy or there was no answer. If the subscriber's line is busy or does not answer, the SCP records at least the telephone number of the caller and the time and date of the call. Later, the subscriber dials a feature code, and the SCP instructs the central office to route the call to an intelligent peripheral (IP).

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein relate to secure extranets which utilize certificate authentication to mediate access, transactions, and user tracking. Such extranets may be employed to provide an interface accessible over a network, such as the Internet, capable of authenticating and recording transactions for business, medical, or other purposes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically establishing a set of calls in a network is presented. A first device determines a maximum number of simultaneous calls that can be processed by a second device. The first device then determines a time interval necessary to allow calls to be established in a set of channels associated with the second device. Using the maximum number of simultaneous calls and the time interval previously determined, the set of calls are established.

Abstract: Offering vertical services to subscribers and service providers is an avenue to immediately improve the competitiveness of digital subscriber line access service, for example of the type offered by a local exchange carrier. To deliver high-quality vertical services, however, the underlying ADSL Data Network (ADN) or the like needs to establish Quality of Service (QoS) as a core characteristic and offer an efficient mechanism for insertion of the vertical services. The inventive network architecture introduces QoS into the ADN, in a manner that enables the delivery of sophisticated and demanding IP-based services to subscribers, does not affect existing Internet tiers of service, and is cost-effective in terms of initial costs, build-out, and ongoing operations.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed toward a Multi-Occupancy Dwelling (MOD) telephone jack for use where different telephone connections could be reconfigured without the need for a telephone technician. In the description herein, the term “jack” is used to describe a receptacle, whereas in the industry, a combination of a receptacle and a plug is sometimes called a jack. The MOD jack is similar to the regulation jack (RJ), or it could be a different connection point. The MOD jack has a plurality of selectable connecting points. The MOD jack includes a rotary dial. The rotary dial is connected to at least one connection point on a first plate and further a plurality of connection points on a second plate. The first plate is connected to a plurality of connection points.

Abstract: Establishing a conference between a customer at a customer terminal and a live agent at an agent station, by (a) accepting a call request from the customer terminal, (b) requesting that an available live agent take the call request, (c) when a live agent becomes available to take the call request, passing customer information to the agent station associated with the available live agent, and (d) establishing a conference from the agent station associated with the available live agent to the customer terminal. The conference may be an audio-video conference. The audio-video conference may be compliant with the H.323 standard. The call request may generated in response to an event sensed by an API which was previously downloaded to the customer terminal from a web server. The call request may be generated in response to a trigger event.

Abstract: A method is provided for estimating a number of digital subscriber line nodes (220, 230) required to supply, from a line supply source (200), a geographically distributed network of substantially sequentially numbered twisted pair lines with digital subscriber line service. The method comprises the steps of: storing, in number order, data entries for every twisted pair line of the network, each data entry comprising a pair number and a line length of the respective twisted pair line in relation to the line supply source (200); sorting the entries stored in the database by line length; isolating those sorted entries whose twisted pair lines have a line length greater than a predetermined maximum line length in relation to the line supply source (200); sorting the isolated entries by number; and discriminating, from the sorted isolated entries, the presence of discrete groupings of substantially contiguous entries.

Abstract: Systems and methods consistent with the present invention perform message parsing in a distributed component-based network management system using a parsing knowledge structure called a Message Class Grammar (MCG) containing the set of all potential pre-calculated parsing sequences for an active network element. The MCG may be customized to the messages of different active network elements. A universal parsing procedure (UPP) may be used to traverse the hierarchy structure of the MCG. Tracing the MCG hierarchy from the root node along class-subclass arcs until a terminal node is reached determines the parsing sequence for a particular message. The MCG may be developed with a text editor or with a graphical user interface that enables a non-programmer to edit the parser structure.

Abstract: A communication system has stations arranged in clusters of member stations, each of which communicates with the other member stations. One member station is a head station of the cluster that communicates with head stations of other clusters. The stations are configured by determining the communication state between a station and one or more cluster head stations. The station is assigned to at least one cluster when a prescribed communication state has been determined between the station and the cluster head station. The station is set to be in independent communication with the one or more cluster head stations which have the prescribed communication state with the station.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for processing and collecting, at a telephone network central office, information for a call directed to a call center prior to the call being received at the call center. A call is received for processing at a telephone network central office that is local to the call origination location. At the central office, a determination is made as to whether the destination number of the call is identified in a selected database. In response to the call destination number being identified in the selected database, the central office solicits the caller to provide requested information. An indication of the requested information received from the caller is included in a data packet associated with the telephone call before the call is transferred from the central office. The call, including the indication of the requested information, is routed to the call center.