Abstract: Reducing connection overhead in a communications network includes reusing at least one cached communication channel connecting a source and a destination. The at least one cached communication channel is cached for a variable duration.

Abstract: A digital signal line echo reduction adaptor is configured to connect adjacent to a first end of a bridgetap line. The bridgetap line has a second end connected to a carrier communication line. The digital signal line echo reduction adaptor reduces an effect of echo from the bridgetap line on a rate of data transmission over the carrier communication line.

Abstract: A method of presenting instructions to a user sending an incoming communication to a service center includes presenting a menu to the user. The menu includes a plurality of procedure descriptors to the user. The user is presented, according to a selection of one of the procedure descriptors by the user, a sequence of instructions which enable completion of a procedure described by the selected procedure descriptor. The incoming communication is transferred at a position in the sequence of instructions to a representative. The incoming communication is also transferred back to the same position in the sequence of instructions.

Abstract: A method for providing a wireless network connection between a device and a wireless network includes storing data related to wireless service providers. The method includes selecting at least one of the wireless service providers based on information related to at least one of services subscribed to by the device and characteristics of a selected wireless service provider. The method includes establishing the wireless network connection between the device and the selected wireless service provider.

Abstract: A method processes a call received from a caller over a communication network. The method determines a telephone number of the caller, and accesses an electronic database to determine a stored language preference of the caller, the caller's stored language preference being associated with the caller's telephone number in the electronic database. The method also routs the call to a predetermined destination based on the stored language preference of the caller in the electronic database.

Abstract: The present invention is an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) based system and method that allows a subscriber connected to the Internet via a dial-up connection to receive caller identification information concerning an incoming telephone call. The information may be provided via a pop-up dialog box on the subscriber's display, which includes but is not limited to a monitor of a personal computer (PC). The information displayed to the subscriber includes the name and number of the calling party, if available. In addition, several disposition options are presented to the subscriber solely via the Internet which, upon selection, determine the handling of the incoming call.

Abstract: A method, computer-readable medium, and system for providing communication circuit information from a communication system database of a communications facility information system via a graphical user interface are provided. A reroute option window that includes at least a circuit identifier input field is displayed on the graphical user interface. A circuit identifier entry is received from the circuit identifier input field. The communications system database of the communications facility information system is accessed, and a reroute path of a communication circuit that corresponds to the circuit identifier entry received from the circuit identifier input field is determined. The reroute path of the communication circuit is displayed on the graphical user interface.

Abstract: A method for location-based communicating includes defining a first service area and a second service area for a service provider. The method also includes associating, at a memory apparatus accessible to a networked data processing apparatus, the first service area with multiple addresses within the first service area and the second service area with multiple addresses within the second service area.

Abstract: Subscriber profile data is managed. The subscriber profile data is associated with a communications service subscribed to by a subscriber. A request to retrieve the subscriber profile data is received based upon a client sending a request for the subscriber profile data. The client hosts a user interface configured to allow the subscriber to obtain and update the subscriber profile data. The subscriber profile data is retrieved from the communications network in response to the request to retrieve the subscriber profile data. A request to update the subscriber profile data is received based upon the client sending a request to update the subscriber profile data. An update for the subscriber profile data is forwarded to the communications network based upon receiving the request to update the subscriber profile data.

Abstract: Communications traffic in a network is addressed. An original signal comprising an embedded destination service address is receiving at an ingress capable network device of the network. A database server is queried to obtain an internal routing address corresponding to the embedded destination service address. A transit signal corresponding to the original signal and including at least the embedded destination service address is routed through the network to an egress capable network device of the network according to the internal routing address. The transit signal enables the egress capable network device to restore the embedded destination service address and to forward the transit signal from the network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing a call are disclosed. Generally a stored indication of a user's language preference is accessed in response to receipt of a call initiated by the user. The call is then routed to a location based on the stored indication of the user's language preference.

Abstract: A system for providing telecommunications equipment information and customer information that includes a display and a processor. The display displays a graphical user interface that allows a user to access the equipment information and the customer information. The graphical user interface includes at least one input area that allows a user to input search criteria, related to at least one of equipment data and customer data, to initiate a search. The graphical user interface also includes at least one results area that displays a result of the search, the result including at least one of the equipment information and the customer information related to the search criteria. The processor implements the search for at least one of the equipment information and the customer information in response to the input search criteria.

Abstract: A method of designing an interface system that allows users to map the representation of their task directly to the interface. There are three major phases to the Customer-Centric Approach to Interface Design (C-CAID). End-users' tasks are categorized to determine the frequency of reasons or tasks of why users interact with a particular system. These reasons and their relative frequencies are used to design interface options that emphasize the user's task categories. Finally, the customer-centric interface designs are evaluated and compared with existing system interfaces using usability tests with actual users performing the tasks. The results from usability tests are used to pinpoint the task-option combinations that do not work well and which should be revised. Benefits of this customer-centric design are improved systems performance and increased user satisfaction.

Abstract: Subscriber profile data associated with a communications service subscribed to by a subscriber is managed by a profile management system. The subscriber profile data is stored on a communications network which executes the communications service in accordance with the subscriber profile data. A subscriber request to view the subscriber profile data is received from a client which hosts a user interface configured to allow the subscriber to view and update the subscriber profile data. The subscriber profile data is retrieved from the communications network based upon receiving the subscriber request to view the subscriber profile data from the client. The subscriber profile data is forwarded to the client. A subscriber request to update the subscriber profile data is received from the client. An update for the subscriber profile data is forwarded to the communications network based upon receiving the subscriber request to update the subscriber profile data from the client.

Abstract: A method for location-based communicating includes defining a first service area and a second service area for a service provider. The method also includes associating, at a memory apparatus accessible to a networked data processing apparatus, the first service area with multiple addresses within the first service area and the second service area with multiple addresses within the second service area.

Abstract: A data processing method and network for collecting, storing, and providing user profile data. The network comprises a number of persona agents, interconnected to a hub. The persona agents and the hub are stored within the data communications network. Each persona agent is associated with a user of the data communications network, and is operable to collect observational data from an application being executed by the user, as well to receive queries for profile data from the application and to respond to the queries with context-based profile data.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable media for modifying IP backbone link weights such that multicast traffic and unicast traffic will not travel on a same path between nodes. The method comprises assigning link weights to nodes within an IP backbone such that multicast forwarding paths and unicast forwarding paths are failure disjoint, and delivering undelivered multicast packets using IP unicast encapsulation to the loopback address of next hop router on a multicast tree upon link/interface failure.

Abstract: A system that controls access to a communications network in accordance with a network service includes a service controller and a network connector. The service controller receives a request for the network service from an end system, provides the end system with a unique setup identifier and an enabling certificate, and instructs the end system to send a connection setup request to access the communications network, the connection setup request including the certificate and the unique setup identifier. The certificate includes information relating to a permitted setup and service policy or logic representing service capabilities or service permissions. The network connector receives the connection setup request from the end system, processes the connection setup request based on the certificate and the unique identifier, and establishes a network connection in accordance with at least the certificate.

Abstract: Designing user interfaces includes categorizing users, by at least one processor, into a predetermined number of behaviorally distinct groups each specified by behavioral characteristics. The users are re-categorized, by the at least one processor, into the predetermined number of new behaviorally distinct groups each specified by revised behavioral characteristics. The user interfaces are designed, by the at least one processor, based on describing and modeling at least one of the re-categorized users and the new behaviorally distinct groups.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for adaptive content rendition, the method comprising receiving media content for playback to a user, adapting the media content for playback on a first device in the user's first location, receiving a notification when the user changes to a second location, adapting the media content for playback on a second device in the second location, and transitioning media content playback from the first device to second device. One aspect conserves energy by optionally turning off the first device after transitioning to the second device. Another aspect includes playback devices that are “dumb devices” which receive media content already prepared for playback, “smart devices” which receive media content in a less than ready form and prepare the media content for playback, or hybrid smart and dumb devices. A single device may be substituted by a plurality of devices.