Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for enabling multicast synchronization of initially unicasted content. Multiple unicast streams are synchronized in order to convert the unicast streams into a multicast stream. Each unicast stream may be accelerated or slowed down in relation to a reference stream to a common point within each stream upon which the unicast streams are replaced by a multicast stream of the same content.

Abstract: An OFDM system embeds sequence information in the transmitted signal that reduces peak average power ratio (PAP) with minimal impact on the overall system efficiency. A marker is embedded onto the transmitted information that is used to identify the combining (inversion) sequence at the receiver. In one embodiment, selected tones in a cluster are rotated when the corresponding phase factor rotates the cluster.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a semantic classifier input and a corresponding label attributed to the semantic classifier input may be obtained. A determination may be made whether the corresponding label is correct based on logged interaction data. An entry of an adaptation corpus may be generated based on a result of the determination. Operation of the semantic classifier may be adapted based on the adaptation corpus.

Abstract: A method and system for distributing content on a network through network-wide transactions is disclosed. The method and system monitors the network using triggered measurement of the performance of an element of the network, dynamically computing, based on the monitoring, the regions of the network with available performance capacity for the transaction to proceed at a given time, determining, based on the computing, a scheduled time for the transaction to proceed, and distributing the content according to a schedule related to the scheduled time.

Abstract: The present invention enables users of a network service to register with the network as valued shoppers, thereby allowing them to receive specialized treatment when calling registered retailers. The present invention enables retailers to register with the network, thereby allowing them to set preferred service logic for handling valued customer calls by the network.

Abstract: A mobile multimedia content aggregation and dissemination platform is provided that aims to automate the creation, collection, aggregation, and dissemination of RSS and non-RSS information for and to interested parties. This platform may be used for the construction of a personalized blogging agent as well as for a personalized news aggregator.

Abstract: A method for controlling media presentation during a teleconference. The method generally includes the steps of coupling a buffer operatively to a host device and a participant device, storing media information associated with the teleconference in the buffer and directing playback of the media information from the buffer to the participant device. The host device is associated with a host of the teleconference and the host thereby enables playback of the stored media information to a participant other than the host.

Abstract: Methods and systems for capturing, transmitting and processing data for generating ratings relating to multimedia programming based on passively obtained user cues are disclosed herein.

Abstract: A system and method of removing noise in a bitstream is disclosed. Based on segment classifications of a bitstream, each segment or portion is encoded with a different encoder associated with the portion model and chosen from a plurality of encoders. The coded bitstream for each segment includes information regarding which encoder was used to encode that segment. A circuit for removing noise in video content includes a first filter connected to a first input switch and a first output switch, the first filter being in parallel with a first pass-through line, a second filter connected to a second input switch and a second output switch, the second filter connected in parallel with a second pass-through line, and a third filter connected to a third input switch in a third output switch.

Abstract: A disclosed example method to monitor an email system involves sending a first test email from a first email system to a second email system. The first test email is addressed to a first destination email address associated with the second email system and having first information identifying the first test email and the second email system. The example method also involves retrieving, from an email account having a second destination email address different from the first destination email address, a plurality of other test emails from other email systems being tested for operability. The other test emails include second information identifying corresponding ones of the other test emails and corresponding ones of the other email systems. The example method involves determining whether the first test email fails to arrive at the email account within a time period from the second email system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for reducing the peak to average power ratio (PAP) of a signal with low computational complexity. According to one embodiment, the present invention is applied to reduce the PAP of an OFDM signal. According to an alternative embodiment, the present invention, is applied to reduce the PAP of a CDMA signal. Rather than seeking the optimum solution, which involves significant computational complexity, the present invention provides for a number of sub-optimal techniques for reducing the PAP of an OFDM signal but with much lower computational complexity.

Abstract: Methods and systems for supplying media over communication networks are described. In one embodiment, a media supplier determines whether a media object hosted on a web server will be supplied to a client by streaming or not by streaming. Preferably, if the determination is to stream, the media supplier streams the media object to the client. In some cases, the same media supplier may be capable of supplying clients with media objects hosted on any of at least two web servers.

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 and apparatus to enable IP networking for mobile hosts without requiring changes to be made to the TCP/IP stack in the operating system installed on the mobile hosts. The apparatus is an “intelligent device” that can be installed on or connected to a mobile host, and may comprise a software-only logical module, physical hardware, or a combination of both. To a mobile host, the intelligent device emulates a network interface such as an Ethernet card or a telephone modem. The intelligent device appears to an access network just like any regular IP host connected to the access network through a physical network interface device. The intelligent device handles all mobile networking functions for the mobile host, and may control multiple different physical network interface devices to enable a connection to an access network available to the mobile user at his location.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a video sequence having mouth movements synchronized with speech sounds are disclosed. The system utilizes a database of n-phones as the smallest selectable unit, wherein n is larger than 1 and preferably 3. The system calculates a target cost for each candidate n-phone for a target frame using a phonetic distance, coarticulation parameter, and speech rate. For each n-phone in a target sequence, the system searches for candidate n-phones that are visually similar according to the target cost. The system samples each candidate n-phone to get a same number of frames as in the target sequence and builds a video frame lattice of candidate video frames. The system assigns a joint cost to each pair of adjacent frames and searches the video frame lattice to construct the video sequence by finding the optimal path through the lattice according to the minimum of the sum of the target cost and the joint cost over the sequence.

Abstract: Bioacoustic sensors and wireless technologies are used for the control of electronic devices, such as wireless telephones, pagers, music/media players or personal laptops and personal digital assistant (PDA) devices. Such control is implemented with certain systems, methods and apparatus which include bioacoustic sensors, a processor coupled to the bioacoustic sensors, and a transmitter coupled to the processor. The present invention is operative to detect particular hand and/or finger gestures, and to transmit control signals corresponding to the gestures for operative control of an electronic device.

Abstract: A method for providing local cordless service comprises the steps of receiving subscriber neighborhood zone selection input so that a mobile telephone equipped subscriber may place or receive calls for a fixed rate, for example, per month without having to pay radio frequency air time charges any time they are located within their selected subscribed-to zones. If the subscribed-to zones are adjacent to one another and the mobile subscriber roans from one zone to another, the subscriber may continue their fee call uninterrupted and without paying air time charges. However, when the subscriber roans outside their subscribed-to zones they may be switched from the present local cordless services t conventional personal communications services and pay air time charges. However for an active call. No air-time charges are incurred as the user transitions between the cellular/DPCS environment and the local cordless service environment.

Abstract: A method, system, and machine-readable medium for classifying an image element as one of a plurality of categories, including assigning the image element based on a ratio between an unoccluded perimeter of the image element and an occluded perimeter of the image element and coding the image element according to a coding scheme associated with the category to which the image element is classified. Exemplary applications include image compression, where categories include image foreground and background layers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling IP service subscribers to share media contents with other IP service subscribers or Internet users in either a secured or open fashion are disclosed. In one embodiment, the present invention enables the sharing of home movies, pictures, and other media contents, where media could be stored media or media created in real-time. Namely, the present method allows IP service subscribers to effectively create their own TV station, e.g., complete with stored or live content programming and content scheduling. In turn, the method allows a viewing subscriber to select and view a shared media program created by another subscriber.

Abstract: A system, method and computer-readable media are introduced that relate to data coding and decoding. A computing device encodes received data such as video data into a base layer of compressed video and an enhancement layer of compressed video. The computing device controls drift introduced into the base layer of the compressed video. The computing device, such as a scalable video coder, allows drift bay predicting the base layer from the enhancement layer information. The amount of drift is managed to improve overall compression efficiency.