Abstract: Devices and methods are disclosed for establishing device interaction among electronic devices of a device environment and a notification device interfaced with the user. Notification devices allow the user to communicate directly with the device environment, such as by entering information in a mobile phone that has a wireless connection to the environment. A device of the environment has a first transmitter and receiver for communicating with other devices, such as a notification device within the environment. In the instance where a notification device is located remotely, the device of the environment may also include a second transmitter and receiver for communicating with the remotely located notification device through a remote communications transport. A memory stores interaction rules and translation rules, and a processor implements the interaction rules and translation rules to establish interaction with the notification device.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method and apparatus is presented for determining minutes of outage. Information associated with a facility hierarchy is acquired. In one embodiment, the facility hierarchy is a SONET facility hierarchy. Outage is determined for each level in the hierarchy and a correlation is performed on the outages associated with each level in the hierarchy.

Abstract: Methods and systems perform authentication based at least in part of the context of the transaction. In one embodiment, the context can be determined and trigger different rules with regard to access to the information or ability to immediately execute the transaction. In another embodiment, a method can include registering a device as a trusted device. The device can include a biometric input module. Biometric data can be used to authenticate a user, and the user may be requested to resubmit biometric data during the same session. In a further embodiment, a hacker may obtain unauthorized access to a victim's account information. The hacker may not be authenticated because he would not have access to a currently valid credential.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for alerting a calling or message sending party as to whether a desired receiving wireless electronic communication device is off or out of range for sending and receiving transmissions. When a call is placed to a wireless telephone or when a message or page is placed to a wireless communication device such as a pager, text messaging device, or personal digital assistant, the operational status of the receiving wireless telephone or other wireless communication device is checked by the wireless network in which the wireless device operates. A message or call is returned to the calling party or sender to alert the calling party or sender if the desired receiving device is off or out of range so that the calling party or message sending party may choose an alternate means of communicating with the desired receiving party.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of correcting video data errors. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a stream of data packets at a re-generator of an Internet Protocol (IP) video transport stream. The stream of data packets includes a plurality of IP media packets and a plurality of forward error correction (FEC) packets. The method also includes determining an error profile of an error within the plurality of IP media packets. The method includes identifying one of the plurality of FEC packets, where the identified FEC packet is associated with an error correction code corresponding to the error profile. The method also includes selecting an inverse FEC function from a plurality of inverse FEC functions. The selected inverse FEC function corresponds to the identified FEC packet.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for adjusting a distribution schedule controlling distribution of network device configuration changes associated with a plurality of network devices. Specifically, the method comprises determining a distribution status of the distribution of network device configuration changes, comparing the distribution status to the distribution schedule, and adjusting the distribution schedule in response to a difference between the distribution schedule and the distribution status.

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for remotely recovering and purging data from a wireless device in a communications network. The system includes a wireless device capable of executing a data recovery/purge application program for receiving a message from a communications device in the network. The application program retrieves the data in the wireless device, purges the data from the wireless device, and sends a return message, including the data retrieved from the wireless device, to the communications device.

Abstract: Computer systems and techniques for predicting a cable failure in a network system begin by receiving a remote alarm indicator followed by a remote alarm indicator clear as a transmission alarm indicator of an intermittent short duration failure on the transmission path of a circuit. If the transmission alarm indicator is of a duration less than or equal to a preset threshold D it is considered an acceptable short hit transmission alarm. When at least N acceptable transmission alarms have been received and the time stamps of the last N acceptable transmission alarms have been recorded, then a determination is made as to whether N acceptable transmission alarms have been received within a preset time period. A moving window time period is calculated as the difference between the time stamp of the present acceptable transmission alarm K and the time stamp of the [(K?N)+1] acceptable transmission alarm. If the difference is less than or equal to T, a cable error signature is indicated.

Abstract: A system and method for managing network traffic is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a data switch having a controller element to transmit telemetry data representative of bandwidth usage by one or more users of the data switch. Traffic for the data switch can be managed based at least in part on the bandwidth usage by higher bandwidth users of the data switch. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of providing security for network access radio systems and associated access radio security systems used with the systems. The method includes connecting an access radio having a radio link to a network; communicating between the access radio and a computer over the network using a ping application having ping commands and unique encrypted codes; and enabling operation of the access radio when the access radio is receiving ping commands. Typically, the access radio and the computer are nodes on the network and the network is a local area network (LAN). The ping application sends packets of information from the computer to the access radio and receives a response from the access radio. The ping application must be functioning (i.e., sending and receiving commands between the computer and the access radio) to enable the access radio to communicate via the radio link with a remote network.

Abstract: A system and method are presented in which a plurality of transport protocol objects (TPOs) are instantiated at an IM user agent. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of TPOs is adapted to provide a translation between a first IM protocol and a different IM protocol.

Abstract: A secure, open-air communication system utilizes a plurality of “decoy” data signals to hide one or more true data signals. The true data signal(s) are channel hopped with the plurality of decoy data signals to form a multi-channel “scrambled” output signal that is thereafter transmitted in an open-air communication system. The greater the number of decoy signals, the greater the security provided to the open-air system. Further security may be provided by encrypting both the true and decoy signals prior to scrambling and/or by utilizing a spatially diverse set of transmitters and receivers. Without the knowledge of the channel assignment(s) for the true signal(s), an eavesdropper may be able to intercept (and, with time, perhaps descramble) the open-air transmitted signals, will not be able to distinguish the true data from the decoys without also knowing the channel assignment(s).

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that efficiently support the querying of meta-data in XML documents. The techniques include efficiently identifying XML elements along each location step in an XPath query that satisfy range constraints on ordered meta-data. The techniques include generating an inheritance meta-data index in which actual meta-data levels are associated only with elements for which a value is explicitly specified and associating non-leaf nodes of the index structure with inherited meta-data levels and inheritance source nodes. The techniques may be used with navigation-based and join-based XPath evaluation strategies.

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 by predicting the base layer from the enhancement layer information. The amount of drift is managed to improve overall compression efficiency.

Abstract: A communications system is designed to present a number of options to a caller who is attempting to reach a call-waiting subscriber already busy on a first call. The options are presented to the caller via an announcement that offers the caller the alternative of either sending immediately a conventional call-waiting alert signal to the subscriber, or leaving a message that is automatically delivered to the subscriber immediately after the subscriber terminates the first call.

Abstract: A method and system for programming a universal remote control (URC) to operate with a new remote controlled device having a digital mark is disclosed. A digital representation of the mark is generated and sent to a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) server, along with MCDN account information. The digital mark may be used to retrieve programming codes, which are sent to client premises equipment (CPE) at an MCDN client identified by the MCDN account information. The CPE may be instructed to reprogram the URC to control the new device using the programming codes. The digital mark may be scanned and sent to the server using wireless telephony service provided by the MCDN service provider.

Abstract: Methods and systems for making a resource available are disclosed. In a particular method, identification information associated with a portable device within a particular coverage area is received. A resource associated with the portable device is determined based on the identification information. An authentication message identifying the resource to a device is sent. Access control information is received from the device. The access control information indicates that access to the resource should be enabled via a local network. The resource is made available via the local network.

Abstract: A communications redirection service is implemented when current communications service data for an account is forwarded through a packet switching network. An instruction is received through the packet switching network for the communications redirection service to redirect communications addressed to the first receiving communications address to a second receiving communications address when the communications are from a specified sending communications address. The instruction for the communications redirection service is forwarded to a communications service manager through a data network. Communications addressed to the first receiving communications address are redirected to the second receiving communications address in accordance with the instruction for the communications redirection service when the communications are from the specified sending communications address.

Abstract: A method and system for programming a universal remote control (URC) to operate with a remote-controlled device is disclosed. A user may be instructed to operate a control element of an original remote control (ORC) of the remote-controlled device. The control element of the ORC may be operated with consumer-premises equipment of the MCDN, which receives a code associated with the control element. The code may be used to identify the remote-controlled device and obtain corresponding programming codes. The URC may be configured to use at least one of the programming codes to remotely control the remote-controlled device.

Abstract: Website management services are disclosed. The services include presenting, by a website management host computer, a web page to a client device. The web page includes options that are configurable by a user of the client device for selecting a provider entity from a list of provider entities. The provider entities provide subscription-based technical services to subscribers. The subscription-based technical services include a links checker configured to verify operability of web page links for a website owned by the user of the client device and a monitor service configured to monitor performance characteristics of the website. The services include receiving, from the client device, a subscription-based technical service and a corresponding provider entity. The provider entities are third-party entities with respect to the website management host computer.