Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a wide area network infrastructure for providing services on IP networks such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) networks are disclosed. For example, an enterprise customer may subscribe to a service for obtaining a reliable wide area network infrastructure for communicating among two or more customer locations. The network service provider creates a virtual private network in the public domain and another virtual private network in the private domain to interconnect the customer locations. It then connects each customer edge router to two provider edge routers one in each domain and/or instances of provider edge functionality in each domain. Routes are then advertised via two control planes to both virtual private networks.

Abstract: A machine-readable medium may include a group of reusable components for building a spoken dialog system. The reusable components may include a group of previously collected audible utterances. A machine-implemented method to build a library of reusable components for use in building a natural language spoken dialog system may include storing a dataset in a database. The dataset may include a group of reusable components for building a spoken dialog system. The reusable components may further include a group of previously collected audible utterances. A second method may include storing at least one set of data. Each one of the at least one set of data may include ones of the reusable components associated with audible data collected during a different collection phase.

Abstract: A speech synthesis system can record concatenation costs of most common acoustic unit sequential pairs to a concatenation cost database for speech synthesis by synthesizing speech from a text, identifying a most common acoustic unit sequential pair in the speech, assigning a concatenation cost to the most common acoustic sequential pair, and recording the concatenation cost of the most common acoustic sequential pair to a concatenation cost database.

Abstract: A system and method of creating a customized multi-media message to a recipient is disclosed. The multi-media message is created by a sender and contains an animated entity that delivers an audible message. The sender chooses the animated entity from a plurality of animated entities. The system receives a text message from the sender and receives a sender audio message associated with the text message. The sender audio message is associated with the chosen animated entity to create the multi-media message. The multi-media message is delivered by the animated entity using as the voice the sender audio message wherein the mouth movements of the animated entity conform to the sender audio message.

Abstract: An in-band signaling model media control (MC) terminal for an HPNA network includes a frame classification entity (FCE) and a frame scheduling entity (FSE) and provides end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS) by passing the QoS requirements from higher layers to the lower layers of the HPNA network. The FCE is located at an LLC sublayer of the MC terminal, and receives a data frame from a higher layer of the MC terminal that is part of a QoS stream. The FCE classifies the received data frame for a MAC sublayer of the MC terminal based on QoS information contained in the received data frame, and associates the classified data frame with a QoS stream queue corresponding to a classification of the data frame. The FSE is located at the MAC sublayer of the MC terminal, and schedules transmission of the data frame to a destination for the data frame based on a QoS requirement associated with the QoS stream.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for processing viewer profiles and program metadata from a number of sources to provide viewing suggestions and recommendations to one or more viewers.

Abstract: A communication system including a communication network, an entertainment device connected to the communication network, and an application server connected to the communication network. The entertainment device has a software client adapted to provide real time two-way communication between the entertainment device and a telephony device connected to the communication network. The application server is adapted to communicate with the software client and facilitate the real time two-way communication between the entertainment device and the telephony device.

Abstract: A network method for using a network telephone voice-mail service, by which a caller may leave a voice-message that includes the identification of an attachment, which may include, as examples only, audio, video, text, programs, spreadsheets and graphic attachments. A video, text, spreadsheet or graphic attachment may be converted to an audible attachment to the voice-mail at the caller's or the voice-mail subscriber's request. Such entries may be made, after receiving an automated prompt for leaving an attachment identifier or conversion request, audibly or by using a keypad entry. A network method is also provided for using a network telephone voice-mail service, by which the voice-mail service may detect an attachment to a voice-mail message and provide access to the attachment to the voice-mail message.

Abstract: Intra-cell upstream data forwarding is utilized in a wireless network such as a wireless local area network. A network forwarding path is determined based on the signal strength of an access point signal received at client stations within the network, referred to as the OASS. In particular embodiments, a station that is either originating or forwarding a frame inserts its own OASS into the frame before transmitting it and a client station that receives a frame forwards it only if its own OASS exceeds the frame-enclosed OASS, illustratively by at least a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calculating a cost index in a communication network. In one embodiment, a plurality of first cost factors associated with a first set of network elements is obtained. Subsequently, a plurality of second cost factors associated with a second set of network elements is obtained. A first cost index is then determined based on the plurality of first cost factors associated with the first set of network elements. Similarly, a second cost index is determined based on the plurality of second cost factors associated with the second set of network elements. Afterwards, the first cost index is compared to the second cost index to determine a point in time when a service provider should minimize new investment in the first set of network elements.

Abstract: A method of processing multi-media service requests received at a multi-media services provider computer system, including a processor coupled to a media gateway controller and to a media server. The method includes receiving a message from a SIP INVITE-enabled communication device at the media gateway controller. The message is processed at the media gateway controller for generating an instruction message with unique indicators, which is communicated to the media server in a SIP INVITE format. The media server processes the instruction message to provide media services and collect user-information from the communication device. The media server processes the user-information and generates a first message in an HTTP form POST format with unique indicators, which includes the user-information and which can be processed at the processor. In this manner, the multi-media services provider computer system is compatible with the SIP INVITE-enabled device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing access to teleconference services using voice recognition technology to receive information on packet networks such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) networks are disclosed. In one embodiment, the service provider enables a caller to enter access information for accessing a conference service using at least one natural language response.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer-readable media process a series of media files into a searchable format. The method includes generating a media database by processing each of a plurality of programs. The steps of the method include extracting a subtitle track from each of the programs, retrieving at least one frame associated with the subtitle track, adding metadata to the extracted subtitle track and at least one frame, processing the subtitle track, program statistics and at least one frame in a media database. Another aspect includes receiving a user query associated with dialog in a program, searching the media database and presenting a listing of results, receiving a user selection or program from their listing and transmitting at least one frame, a portion of associated subtitle track and prompts for ordering the program.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, method and computer readable medium storing instructions related to semantic and syntactic information in a language understanding system. The method embodiment of the invention is a method for classifying utterances during a natural language dialog between a human and a computing device. The method comprises receiving a user utterance; generating a semantic and syntactic graph associated with the received utterance, extracting all n-grams as features from the generated semantic and syntactic graph and classifying the utterance. Classifying the utterance may be performed any number of ways such as using the extracted n-grams, a syntactic and semantic graphs or writing rules.

Abstract: A system, method and computer readable medium that enhances a speech database for speech synthesis is disclosed. The method may include labeling audio files in a primary speech database, identifying segments in the labeled audio files that have varying pronunciations based on language differences, identifying replacement segments in a secondary speech database, enhancing the primary speech database by substituting the identified secondary speech database segments for the corresponding identified segments in the primary speech database, and storing the enhanced primary speech database for use in speech synthesis.

Abstract: An arrangement for allowing “hands-free” access to DTMF-controlled systems, such as one's voice mail messaging systems, utilizes a speech-to-DTMF tone application that monitors the communication between the user and the DTMF-controlled system. A speech recognition unit is utilized to retrieve certain voice commands (e.g., “next”, “skip”, “repeat”, “forward”, etc.) when uttered by the user. The application then translates the received commands into the proper DTMF tone sequence used by the DTMF-controlled system and transmits the DTMF tones to the system. The application is particularly useful in the cell phone environment and avoids the necessity of the user to constantly switch between using the keypad and listening to messages/commands from the system.

Abstract: A personalized text-to-speech (pTTS) system provides a method for converting text data to speech data utilizing a pTTS template representing the voice characteristics of an individual. A memory stores executable program code that converts text data to speech data. Text data represents a textual message directed to a system user and speech data represents a spoken form of text data having the characteristics of an individual's voice. A processor executes the program code, and a storage device stores a pTTS template and may store speech data. The pTTS system can be used to provide various services that provide immediate spoken presentation of the speech data converted from text data and/or combine stored speech data with generated speech data for spoken presentation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for responding to an inquiry from a client via a network. The method and apparatus receive the inquiry from a client via a network. Based on the inquiry, question-answer pairs retrieved from the network are analyzed to determine a response to the inquiry. The QA pairs are not predefined. As a result, the QA pairs have to be analyzed in order to determine whether they are responsive to a particular inquiry. Questions of the QA pairs may be repetitive and, without more, will not be useful in determining whether their corresponding answer responds to an inquiry.

Abstract: A method, system and module for automatically validating dialogs associated with a spoken dialog service. The method comprises extracting key data from a dialog call detail record associated with a spoken dialog service, transmitting the key data as a dialog to a state-based representation (such as a finite-state machine) associated with a call-flow for the spoken dialog service and determining whether the dialog associated with the key data is a valid dialog for the call-flow.

Abstract: A method of improving the lighting conditions of a real scene or video sequence. Digitally generated light is added to a scene for video conferencing over telecommunication networks. A virtual illumination equation takes into account light attenuation, lambertian and specular reflection. An image of an object is captured, a virtual light source illuminates the object within the image. In addition, the object can be the head of the user. The position of the head of the user is dynamically tracked so that an three-dimensional model is generated which is representative of the head of the user. Synthetic light is applied to a position on the model to form an illuminated model.