Abstract: A method and system of storing and accessing documents on a computer file system utilizing a file system-independent key for use in an index-less browser caching mechanism. The present invention is a method and system for storing a resource such as a document or group of documents on a computer file system using a Universal Resource Indicator (URI) as the file name by generating a unique system-independent key from the URI for use in an index-less browser caching system. The invention takes into account the various file entry length limitations enforced by each unique file system by converting the specified URI into a key containing hexadecimal values of the key's characteristics. In this fashion, an index-less browser caching system such as a Web browser of a VoiceXML browser is created that is file system-independent.

Abstract: The disclosed method enables a computer system user to efficiently modify attributes of objects displayed by the system and its software applications. Upon selection of a displayed target object by a user, a pop-up menu appears containing a ‘Set Attributes to . . . ’ option. Upon selection of that option by the user, the system cursor changes appearance, and the user is allowed to locate and select a source object separate from the target object (potentially, in a stored file or display window separate from the file and window containing the target object). Upon selection of the source object by the user, the attributes of the source object are immediately transferred to the target object, the display window containing the target object reappears (if it had been hidden by the action of locating the source object), and the display cursor appearance reverts to its normal form.

Abstract: An apparatus, computer readable medium and method for communicating over a telecommunications network, such as the Internet, with a provider of a service, such as a business. A method for communicating over a telecommunications network with a local representative of an entity, comprising the steps of: receiving, over a data telecommunications network, a request for a connection with a local representative of an entity from a subscriber, wherein the data telecommunications network supports simultaneous voice and data connection over a single line from the subscriber to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) site; determining the geographical location of the subscriber; translating the request from the directory listing database a local representative of the entity that is the geographically nearest to the subscriber requesting a connection; and establishing a voice connection between the subscriber requesting the connection with the local representative of the entity.

Abstract: The disclosed system and method for automated proximity determination and notification is useful to enable a customer or client of a business or other enterprise (e.g. a public library, a government facility, etc) to automatically obtain a predetermined service, on arrival at a destination associated with the business or enterprise, without having to communicate orally with representatives of the business/enterprise. A portable programmable wireless communication device is carried by users of such services. The device, termed a PLAD (pervasive location aware device), receives a program and proximity notification parameters associated with each destination to be visited, when service is reserved relative to the destination.

Abstract: A call director (CD) system and method is disclosed which enables a Virtual Automatic Call Director (ACD) environment with integrated voice response unit (VRU) and Virtual Automatic Call Distributor (VACD) to have a programmable interface with a common script logic so that the complete call flow can be executed in a single process. The disclosed system incorporates a network interface (111), one or more VPU IP telephony servers (112), a MCU configuration/supervision unit (113), Virtual Automatic Call Distributor (VACD) subsystem (114), customer information files (115), and incoming call router (ICR) (104).

Abstract: A method of proofreading and correcting dictated text contained in an electronic document can include selecting proofreading criteria for identifying textual errors contained in the electronic document; playing back each word contained in the electronic document; and, marking as a textual error each played back word in nonconformity with at least one of the proofreading criteria.

Abstract: In a computer network such as the Internet including one or more servers and one or more user units or clients wherein at least some user units do not transmit client identification information such as Web cookies, a method and system for performing the method for a server to communicate with at least one of the client units, comprising the steps of: receiving an access request from one of the user units, the user unit including a network browser; determining whether the access request received originated from a cookies capable or cookies enabled network browser; and simulate and proxy cookies support at the server, on behalf of the network browser, at the server when it is determined that the access request received did not originate from a non-cookies capable or non-cookies enabled network browser.

Abstract: E-commerce web page forms contain an encrypted and encoded string, which contains basic information about a product for sale on the web page. Optional product data (e.g. size, color) is selected by an online shopper and transmitted with the basic information when the form is submitted to a cash register server. The form may also contain store ID information which is used to the look up the secret string needed to decrypt the product information. A method for generating the encrypted encoded string for use in the web page is described. Confidentiality is provided with regard to purchases over the Internet.

Abstract: A computer system has a notification manager for playing a message to a user by selecting one of a plurality of audio notifications. The method includes the step of setting a priority level for each notification arriving into a queue. The notification is inserted into a position in the queue based upon the priority level of the notification, such that the audio notifications at the queue top have a generally higher priority than audio notifications at the queue bottom. The notification at the top of the queue can be selected if the priority level of the notification is greater than a predetermined gate level. Once a notification is selected, a message corresponding to the selected notification is played to the user.

Abstract: Each network of data processing systems within a system of networks is assigned a unique network identifier when connected to the system. Each data processing system within a given network is assigned a unique host system identifier when the data processing system is added to the network. When a new object is added to a given data processing system, a unique object identifier is constructed with three fields, including a high order field containing the network identifier for the network in which the object is being added, a next order field containing a host system identifier for the data processing system to which the object is being added, and an object identifier unique for all objects within the host data processing system. The combination of the three identifiers results in a single, unique object identifier which is unique for all objects across the system of networks and data processing systems.

Abstract: A multi-service communication system and method is disclosed which permits the integration of traditional PSTN functions and voice-over-IP/voice-over-data (VOIP/VOD) functions within the same communication system. The extension of scripting functions to support these features in general simultaneously permits the script to interact with PSTN and IP telephones within the context of the same services, to share the same service logic for both PSTN and IP media, to conference participants on both PSTN and IP, to store and forward information between the two media, to play on-hold media to the interface, and/or to monitor information between the two media. In general the disclosed invention is amenable to the integration of PSTN and VOIP networks, but other service functions may be integrated with no loss of generality.

Abstract: A method to serve web pages from a server linked to a network of a plurality of clients, the server coupled to a plurality of data pages and to an access log. The method begins with reading an access log to collect data identifying pages that are most frequently accessed by a plurality of clients. The pages are retrieved, at least in part, from a database server coupled to a database storage. The one or more pages are stored in a cache as identified by the access log, where each of the pages are identified in the access log with at least one category of a search criteria received from the clients. An access request is received from one or more clients for a page based upon the search criteria received from the clients. The page from cache is retrieved if the page which has been requested was previously stored in cache. On the other hand, if the page, which has been requested, was not previously stored in cache then the page is retrieved from database storage.

Abstract: A system for multicasting a data stream transmits portable child hosts to client computers requesting to receive the multicast. The child hosts are capable of receiving the multicast data stream and also transmitting the data stream to other clients which subsequently request reception of the multicast data stream. Methods for managing the network to minimize the bandwidth load on participating computers, and to reconfigure the network when clients join or leave the network are also disclosed. According to another aspect of the invention a system and computer readable medium is disclosed for carrying out the above method.

Abstract: A communication system (100) includes at least one digital signal processor (DSP) and a WAN driver (80) operating on a processor that is electrically coupled to a memory. The WAN driver (80) receives task allocation requests from a host to open/close communication channels that are handled by the at least one DSP. Each task is allocated to one of the at least one DSP according to a total current task processing load for each of the at least one DSP, a maximum processing capability for each of the at least one DSP, and a processing requirement for each task being allocated to the one of the at least one DSP that can handle the additional processing load of the task being allocated.

Abstract: A method and image processing system are disclosed which simulate a hair style selected from among a number of prestored hair images in association with a facial image. The selected hair image includes an interior perimeter to be positioned adjacent to the facial image and a first plurality of associated feature points distributed along the interior perimeter of the hair image. A subset of the first plurality of feature points are disposed at locations at which the hair image is intended to abut, but not substantially overlap the facial image. The size and orientation of the selected hair image are automatically corrected with respect to the facial image. A second plurality of feature points distributed along the facial perimeter are then determined, which each correspond to one of the subset of feature points. One or more facial perimeter vectors are constructed by connecting neighboring feature points within the second plurality of feature points.

Abstract: A caller-controlled barge-in telephone service, managed by telephone systems, intercepts telephone calls directed to instantly busy telephone lines predesignated as objects of this service, and: 1) verifies that the called line is a respectively predesignated object of this service and that the caller is entitled to invoke the service relative to that line; and 2) forms a bridging connection between the caller and parties to a telephone call instantly busying the called line. Verification that a caller is entitled to the service can be implemented by playing a voice announcement requesting the caller to speak or key in an authorization code. If the caller fails to respond or returns an invalid code, the caller is either disconnected or transferred to a voice mail service. Disconnection of the caller may be preceded by a voice announcement (e.g. a spoken “goodbye”).

Abstract: An apparatus and method provide non-intrusive in-service testing of audio/video synchronization testing without using traditional audio marker tones. The network includes an A/V synchronous test signal generator which injects video and audio markers into the video and audio non-intrusively and routes the two signals into a switch where they are switched into a channel for encoding and transmission via the ATM network. At the distant end the signal is decoded and routed by a switch into the A/V test generator and measurement set where the markers are detected and the A/V skew calculated, after which the audio and video are routed to the subscriber. The A/V test set signal generator includes a Video Blanking Interval (VBI) test signal generator and a white noise generator, the former injecting a marker into the video signal and the later injecting an audio marker into the audio signal.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring fan speeds within a computing system includes a tachometer turning with the fan, providing a tachometer signal including a number of pulses during each revolution of the fan. This tachometer signal is provided as an input to a signal generator in the form of a flip-flop, which generates a square-wave signal having transitions between high and low levels corresponding to tachometer signal pulses. The square-wave signals are provided as inputs to separate input ports of a microprocessor. These input ports are sequentially sampled at a rate providing at least two samples per period of the fastest square-wave signal, so that transitions of each square wave signal during a predetermined time interval can be detected and counted. For each input port, the number of counted transitions is compared to a stored acceptable value to establish whether the fan is operating in an acceptable speed range.

Abstract: The present invention affords a predefined class of authorized users of the PSTN (public switched telephone network) access to extended telephone services through public communication networks external to the PSTN, the latter networks including the web and Internet. Authorized users in the predefined class can receive the extended services at residences, offices, and locations remote from both residences and offices. Authorized users can activate respective extended services through the external networks, and can do so without having to communicate with telephone company, representatives. Resource management intelligence of the PSTN is adapted to link to the external networks for communicating with and delivering extended telephone services to the authorized users. Extended telephone services include variations of presently standard telephone services such as call waiting, caller ID, call forwarding facsimile image transmittal, voice mail, etc.

Abstract: A multimedia search and indexing system automatically selects scenes or events of interest from any media, i.e., video, film, sound for replay, in whole or in part, in other contexts. The entire audio track of a recorded event in video, film, sound, etc., is analyzed to determine audio levels within a set of frequency ranges of interest. Audio clip levels within the selected frequency ranges are chosen as audio cues representative of events of interest in the track. The selection criteria are applied to the audio track of the recorded event. An Edit Decision List (EDL) is generated from the analysis of the audio track. The list is representative of scenes or sounds of interest as clips for reuse. The clips are reviewed and accepted or rejected for reuse. Once selected, the clips are edited using industry standard audio and video editing techniques.