Abstract: Systems and method for processing orders for telecommunications services are disclosed. Generally a telecommunications transaction set of an electronic data interchange standard is received, the telecommunications transaction set corresponding to a telecommunications product or service for a customer. An order for the telecommunications product or service is then generated based on processing of the telecommunications transaction set.

Abstract: A centralized recorded announcement unit shared by multiple end offices on a public switched telephone network stores announcements in digital files. When a call is received at a switch and an announcement is required, the announcement is played to the caller by an announcement device if the particular announcement file is stored locally. If the announcement is not stored locally, a request is sent to the centralized recorded announcement unit to retrieve the announcement file and play the announcement to the caller. Both the request and the announcement file are sent via a packed-switched network.

Abstract: Communication between a source and a destination is dynamically established. A connection request is received. The connection request is based on a request transmitted over a best-effort path from the source. A network connection is established having a specified quality of service (QoS) based on the request between the source and the destination. Data for a first application is transmitted over the network connection and data for a second application is transmitted over the best-effort path.

Abstract: A method and system for providing computer-network related information about a calling party. First, the called party receives a telephone number of a calling party. The called party's customer premises equipment (CPE) or elements in a telephone network then use the telephone number to index a database, which contains combinations of telephone numbers and computer-network addresses. Once the calling party's computer-network address is retrieved, calling-party-customized information present at the computer-network location specified by the computer-network address can be sent to and displayed on the called party's CPE. Also, the calling party's telephone number can be sent to an application in the computer network, causing the calling-party-customized information to be automatically displayed on the called party's CPE.

Abstract: A circuit component tester includes a portable casing and a circuit provided within the casing. A plurality of leads are provided to electrically connect the circuit to a gate and two terminals of a circuit component under test. A test switch provided on the casing initiates application of test voltage to at least one of the two terminals of the circuit component under test. A gate switch provided on the casing initiates application of gate voltage to the gate of the circuit component under test. At least one of the test switch and the gate switch are operable to verify functionality of the circuit component under test.

Abstract: A communications service for communications addressed to or from a communications address is implemented by receiving, from a requester though a packet switching network, a request to access current communications service data for an account for the communications address. The current communications service data for the account is forwarded to the requester through the packet switching network. An instruction to change an on/off state of the communications service is received from the requester through the packet switching network. The instruction to a communications service manager is forwarded through a data network. The on/off state of the communications service is changed in accordance with the instruction.

Abstract: A method a system for automatically controlling an adaptive interleaver involves monitoring performance parameters of a transmission system and controlling the adaptive interleaver in response to the performance parameters. The SNR and the data rate of the transmission system are preferably determined. The data rate is analyzed and the adaptive interleaver is adjusted in response to the data rate and the SNR. Alternatively, the BER and the data rate of the transmission system are determined. The data rate is analyzed and the adaptive interleaver is adjusted in response to the data rate and the BER. Alternatively, any one of the SNR, BER or data rate can alone be monitored and used to the adaptive interleaver. The system provides a effective system for adjusting an adaptive interleaver in response to performance parameters of a transmission system.

Abstract: A method a system for automatically controlling an adaptive interleaver involves monitoring performance parameters of a transmission system and controlling the adaptive interleaver in response to the performance parameters. The SNR and the data rate of the transmission system are preferably determined. The data rate is analyzed and the adaptive interleaver is adjusted in response to the data rate and the SNR. Alternatively, the BER and the data rate of the transmission system are determined. The data rate is analyzed and the adaptive interleaver is adjusted in response to the data rate and the BER. Alternatively, any one of the SNR, BER or data rate can alone be monitored and used to the adaptive interleaver. The system provides a effective system for adjusting an adaptive interleaver in response to performance parameters of a transmission system.

Abstract: The present invention discusses a method and apparatus for providing customer information, such as a physical address etc., to a call destination, such as a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), over an Internet Protocol (IP) communication link. A mediation layer maintains a table tracking information such as IP address, physical location of the customer, and MAC (Media Access Control) Address. When a call is placed, an IP address is sent to the mediation layer. The mediation layer selects appropriate caller information and routes the information to the network, which routes the information to the PSAP. The mediation layer maintains customer information through a Virtual Central Repository (VCR), and IP addresses through a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server on an ongoing basis. The mediation layer can comprise multiple interconnected mediation layers in cooperation.

Abstract: A method for converting a first time and a first date in a first format to a second time in a second format includes determining a number of seconds that have elapsed between a predetermined date and a beginning of a current year of the first date. The method further includes adding to the determined number of seconds, a calculated number of seconds calculated from the beginning of the current year to a current month and a current day of the first date to obtain a first sum. The first sum varies based on whether the current month is within a leap year and is subsequent to a leap day of the leap year. A number of seconds that have elapsed between a beginning of the current day of the first date and the first time is added to the first sum. Lastly, a predetermined number of seconds is added to the first sum when Daylight Savings Time is in effect to obtain the second time in the second format.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a cellular zone is disclosed. A communication link connects a cellular base station and a wireless access point. A typical communication link can be a wire-based communication network, such as the Internet, using IP telephony protocol. The wireless access point communicates with a cell phone over a cellular frequency and thereby establishes the cellular zone. Where the area of the cellular zone and the coverage area of the cellular base station overlap, continuous arbitration is performed to select a communications channel. The strength of a first signal received from the cellular base station is compared to the strength of a second signal received from the wireless access point. Selection criteria include signal strength and a time-oriented criteria to maintain continuity of communication channel.

Abstract: A network node in a communications network collects communication information. The network node collects, when an attempt is made to establish a network connection between a source and a destination, information related to the network connection and either or both of the source and the destination. A report is generated based on the information and at least a portion of the report is forwarded to a user. The report includes information for established network connections and information for unsuccessful attempts to establish network connections.

Abstract: A method for measuring network performance parity includes the steps of computing a call completion ratio for at least one network provider, and determining whether the call completion ratio passes a first test. These steps may further include computing a first call completion ratio for a first network provider, a second call completion ratio for a second network provider, a difference between the first call completion ratio and the second call completion ratio, and a variance for the difference. The method also includes the step of assessing whether a second test is determinate if the call completion ratio does not pass the first test, by determining whether the variance is greater than a variance cutoff. In addition, the method includes the step of assessing whether a call completion ratio passes the second test, if the second test is determinate, by determining whether the difference is greater than a threshold.

Abstract: A method for an automated voice response system to present access numbers to dial-up Internet users. The automated voice response system can perform the step of establishing a telephony communication with a party responsive to a received telephone call from the party. An indicator a service region within which dial-up Internet access is requested can be received by the automated voice response system. At least one data store can be queried for access numbers associated with the service region. A response to the querying step can be dynamically generated. The generated response can be customized specifically for the telephony communication. When the response includes at least one access number, the included access number or numbers can be presented to the party across the telephone communication.

Abstract: An SVC is established via an ATM switch port, which includes multiple virtual paths (VPs), by associating multiple virtual user-to-network interfaces (UNIs) to each of the VPs. Each of the VPs includes multiple virtual circuit (VC) ranges, each of which corresponds to a different virtual UNI. Each VC range includes at least one VC for control and at least one VC for data transfer. Associating the virtual UNIs to each of the VPs includes mapping each virtual UNI to a corresponding VC range within a VP based on a virtual path index (VPI)/virtual channel index (VCI) of the virtual UNI initially received by the ATM switch port.

Abstract: In a disclosed method for interpreting automatic speech recognition (ASR) performance data, a data processing system may receive user input that selects a log file to be processed. The log file may contain log records produced by an ASR system as a result of verbal interaction between an individual and the ASR system. In response to receiving the user input, the data processing system may automatically interpret data in the log records and generate interpretation results. The interpretation results may include a duration for a system prompt communicated to the individual by the ASR system, a user response to the system prompt, and a duration for the user response. The user response may include a textual representation of a verbal response from the individual, obtained through ASR. The interpretation results may also include an overall duration for the telephone call.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for routing a call to a common number from a calling party, where the common number corresponds to a plurality of users. The method and system determine whether availability of unique identification information for the calling party in response to receiving an indication of the call to the common number, and correlate the unique identification information when it is available to a destination number associated with one of the plurality of users in order to route the call to the destination number.

Abstract: A method for marshalling data from multiple middleware applications to an implementation includes receiving first data from a first middleware application, the first data having a first format of multiple available formats. A first path is selected from multiple paths based on the first format, the multiple paths corresponding to the multiple available formats. The first data is converted from the first format to a common format, which is compatible with the implementation, based on the selected first path. The method may further include receiving second data from a second middleware application, the second data have a second format of the multiple available formats; selecting a second path from the multiple paths based on the second format; and converting the second data from the second format to the common format based on the selected second path.

Abstract: A communications device includes a bidirectional communications module configured to enable bidirectional communications. A memory stores information, and a destination address obtainer obtains a destination address, determined based on predetermined criteria, for sending selected stored information.

Abstract: The present invention provides an option to record messages that can be geared to specific audiences, using PIN-restricted access as needed. The present invention provides a method and apparatus way for subscribers to record a number (more than one) of personalized messages or greetings geared towards specific callers or audiences in a plurality of bulletin boards associated with a single telephone number. The personalized greetings comprise public messages, private messages, public comments and private comments. The method and apparatus of the present invention also ensures customer privacy and increases the level of security by providing an option to PIN-protect the content and access to the content for each of the public and private recorded messages and comments.