Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering portal services is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a portal having an aggregation element that presents aggregated IMS services of one or more IMS service providers to an IMS client operating in a terminal device. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for providing a service over a communications network includes interacting, by a first networked communications apparatus, with a second networked communications apparatus. The second networked communications apparatus interacts with the first networked communications apparatus according to a script based on information received from a remote requesting party. The remote requesting party interacts over the communications network with the second networked communications apparatus according to the script.

Abstract: A communications system obtains verification of an expected identity of a party from a remote centralized biometric system over a communications network. A forwarder forwards, over the communications network to the remote centralized biometric system when the party attempts to obtain a service using the communications system, a biometric sample from the party and information characterizing the expected identity of the party. A receiver receives, over the communications network from the remote centralized biometric system, verification that the biometric sample matches biometric information obtained by the remote centralized biometric system from a storage such that the expected identity of the party is verified as the identity of the party. The service is provided contingent on verification of the expected identity of the party as the identity of the party.

Abstract: A web server implements a call service, including call service data corresponding to a directory number of a user. The web server includes a first interface for communicating with a call processor that processes telephone calls in a telecommunications network. The processor communicates with a database that includes the call service data. The web server further includes a second interface for communicating with the user's computer via a packet switching network, the user computer including a display for displaying activation fields, which include a first activation indicator corresponding to the call service and a second activation indicator corresponding to a first feature of the call service. Each of the activation indicators enables selection of one of an ON and an OFF condition.

Abstract: One or more content providers push data related to: movies, movie products, digital movie content over a network (e.g., a LAN, a WAN, the Internet, or a wireless network) onto an information filling station which, in turn, wirelessly transacts (over a network based on the 802.11b protocol) and transmits any requested data to a portable computer-based device (e.g., laptop, a pen-based computer device, a PDA, a wireless phone, or a pager). The portable device performs financial transactions for: purchasing movie tickets (directly or via auctions), downloading digital entertainment content of interest (e.g., copy of a movie of interest, copy of a movie identified based on a pre-stored profile, copy of soundtrack of a movie of interest), or movie related products. Any purchased digital content is either transferred wirelessly onto the portable device or, optionally, sent on a storage medium to a physical address associated with the profile.

Abstract: A method for routing a communication to a wireless device through a wireline network includes storing a registration of a wireless device with a first mobile switching center, in response to the wireless device registering with the first mobile switching center. A request for the registration of the wireless device with the first mobile switching center is received. The registration of the wireless device with the first mobile switching center is provided. The communication is routed to the wireless device from a node in the wireline network when the node in the wireline network is provided with routing instructions from a controller for the wireline network in response to the controller identifying the registration of the wireless device with the first mobile switching center.

Abstract: In a particular embodiment, the disclosure is directed to a system including a customer authentication and payment server, a merchant data server, a merchant network, and a merchant station. The merchant data server is coupled to a public data network and the public data network is coupled to the customer authentication and payment server. The merchant network is coupled to the merchant data server and the merchant station. The merchant station includes a communication interface to provide for wireless communication with customers located within a wireless coverage area using an ad hoc connection.

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.

Abstract: An advanced intelligent network (AIN) telephony service provided in a public switched telephone network (PSTN) is controlled based on instructions from a subscriber, browsing a packet switched data network using a voice browser. A voice extensible markup language (VXML) platform is connected to a web server and a service control point (SCP). The web server stores announcements that can be easily created and modified by a subscriber. When the VXML platform receives an announcement ID from the SCP, the VXML platform determines a location where the announcement is stored based on the ID, and then plays the remotely stored announcement. Thus, the announcements can be easily changed without affecting the SCP and other AIN network elements.

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 method and apparatus for qualifying a telephone transmission line for XDSL communication services is disclosed. The system includes a modem, located at the customer premises to be connected. The modem analyzes actual signals to determine the electrical characteristics of the communication channel associated with the customer premises. The modem includes a transmitter, receiver and controller to generate test signals and receive responses. The modem then analyzes the data to generate an output value indicative of the electrical characteristics of the communication channel being tested. This output value is then displayed to a user or transmitted over the communication channel to a network. The system thereby eliminates the necessity of dispatching a technician to test the telephone line, and provides more accurate test results than those achievable at the network-side of the connection alone.

Abstract: A call is processed in a public switched telephone network (PSTN), in accordance with at least one advanced intelligent network (AIN) telephony service associated with one of a calling party number and a called party number. The call is initially connected to a voice markup language platform in response to preliminary routing instructions from a service control point, in accordance with the telephony service. Data relating to the telephony service is retrieved and at least one caller query is formulated based on the retrieved data. The caller query is verbally provided to the calling party. Additional data is then received through voice communication from the calling party, including a response to the caller query. The call is routed in accordance with the additional data provided by the caller.

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: An architecture for efficiently identifying the scope and timeframe of database errors, providing online history images, creating online point-in-time views of application tables, reconstructing equivalent SQL statements of a committed transaction or of a user session, providing a selective audit trail report on demand, and permitting selective online rollbacks in an application database. The rollback can be done on a single row, a single transaction, a group transactions, a user session, or all user tables. The system includes after images tables and before images tables and tracks all before images of user application tables when a user performs an INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE operation with respect to a row in a table. Also, the system is provided to generate history images of application tables at a point-in-time, and to selectively rollback, or undo whole or a portion of application tables, to generate a selective audit trail report on demand, and to manage the before images.

Abstract: A system and method for exchanging telecommunication service information between a telecommunication service provider and a telecommunication service customer include electronically receiving a request in a predefined format to establish an interactive session with a telecommunications customer, determining whether the telecommunications customer is authorized for electronically exchanging information and continuing only if the customer is authorized, parsing the request to identify information related to at least one telecommunications service offered by the telecommunications services provider, the telecommunications service having an associated identification code, determining whether the requested telecommunication service is available in a particular location, and automatically generating information associated with the requested telecommunications service and transmitting the information using the predetermined format to the customer.

Abstract: All calls terminating to a customer's directory number are intercepted. If caller identification information can be presented, the call is forwarded to a service node for disposition. The service node reconfigures signaling information of the call so that the call is not intercepted, then forwards the call to the subscriber's telephone. When the call is answered, the service node states the name or telephone number of the calling party which has been retrieved from the signaling information. The caller can decide whether to take the call, deny the call, send the call to voice mail or send a sales refusal message or other disposition option.

Abstract: A centralized biometric system is provided for verifying an individual's identity over a communications network. The centralized biometric system includes a receiver that receives, from a remote communications system, a biometric sample from a party attempting to obtain a service using the remote communications system. The service is provided contingent on authentication of the party as the individual. The system also includes a processor that compares the biometric sample to biometric information obtained from a storage to authenticate the identity of the party as the individual. The receiver and the processor are within a centralized system in the communications network.

Abstract: A method and system for treating telephone calls at a services node prior to completing the telephone call. The services node may provide a variety of services to treat the telephone call such as a Personal Access Service or playing a pre-recorded message. After treatment at the services node, the system recognizes that the telephone call has already been treated at a services node and the call is completed.

Abstract: An internet protocol session is established over a switched network. A path message is forwarded to a destination bridging device that bridges the switched network and an internet protocol network. The destination bridging device has a switched network address and an internet protocol network address and directs the path message to an originating host device over the internet protocol network. A setup message is received from the destination bridging device. The setup message is received over the switched network by the destination bridging device from an originating bridging device that bridges the switched network and the internet protocol network, in response to the originating bridging device receiving the path message on behalf of the originating host device. The internet protocol session is established over the switched network between at least the destination bridging device and the originating bridging device based on forwarding the path message and receiving the setup message.

Abstract: A packet-based communications network is dimensioned based on a maximum number of users able to receive a predetermined target throughput of data over a predetermined number of channels. For each of an incremental number of users, at least one blocking probability is calculated, based on a traffic distribution model, and a service delay is calculated, based on the blocking probability. An iterative throughput, corresponding to each of the incremental number of users, is determined based on the corresponding blocking probability and service delay. Each iterative throughput is compared to the target throughput. The maximum number of users is identified as the number of users having a corresponding iterative throughput that is closest to and less than target throughput.