Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller to monitor ambient noise in proximity to the communication device, monitor a transmitted voice signal associated with the communication device, adjust a receiver volume for the transmitted voice signal based at least in part on a comparison of the transmitted voice signal with the ambient noise, monitor a received voice signal associated with the communication device, and adjust a speaker volume for the received voice signal based at least in part on a comparison of the received voice signal with the ambient noise, where the adjusting of the receiver volume is independent of the adjusting of the speaker volume. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for generating item ratings for a user in order to allow for recommendations of selected items for that user. A set of known ratings of different items for a plurality of users is collected and maintained, and these known ratings are used to estimate rating factors influencing ratings, including user and item factors. Initial user and item factors are estimated and new user and item factors are successively added, with the original rating factors being progressively shrunk so as to reduce their magnitude and their contribution to the rating estimation as successive factors are added. When an appropriate number of user and item factors has been estimated, the rating factors are used to estimate ratings of items for a user, and the estimated ratings are employed to generate recommendations for that user.

Abstract: A method and system for processing a prepaid call in a mobile telecommunications network wherein charges can be recovered for the call after the SCP and Prepaid Platform lose contact with the MSC or GMSC handling the call. A Trigger Detection Point known as “O-Disconnect” or “T-Disconnect” can be armed in a prepaid subscriber's HLR and can be triggered when the MSC/GMSC loses contact with the SCP. The MSC/GMSC can record the time that the TDP was triggered in memory. The MSC/GMSC can then monitor for call disconnect and record the disconnection time in memory. When the call is disconnected the MSC/GMSC can renew contact with the SCP. MSC/GMSC can identify the call using a unique call identifier and advise the SCP of the times at which contact was lost and the call was disconnected. The SCP can use this information to calculate a charge for the portion of the call that occurred after contact with the MSC/GMSC was lost so that the entire call can be charged in near real-time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for intellectual property asset selection and protection. In an embodiment, an intellectual property selection system receives from an innovator an innovation submission describing an innovation. An intellectual property protection system receives at least a portion of the innovation submission and manages obtaining an intellectual property legal right related to the innovation. An intellectual property asset management system receives and stores at least one of an innovation description is based at least in part on the at least a portion of the innovation submission and the intellectual property legal right description is based at least in part on the intellectual property legal right.

Abstract: A method for caller identification notification, including determining caller identification information associated with a telephone call to a first device. The method further includes sending a notification to a second device when the caller identification information matches a user defined list of caller identification information.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing personalized dissemination of information are provided. A method includes receiving personal information elements for a subject, and applying business rules to the personal information elements, data elements designated for publication by a source of the data elements, and a database of information strings. The information strings include words and phrases that are commonly recognized across a populace. In response to application of the business rules, the method also includes selecting one or more of the data elements from the source, one or more of the personal information elements, and an information string from the database of information strings. The method further includes constructing a contextually relevant output string that is relevant to the subject. The output string includes portions of the selected information string, data elements, and personal information elements.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for estimation of item ratings for a user. A set of item ratings by multiple users is maintained, and similarity measures for all items are precomputed, as well as values used to generate interpolation weights for ratings neighboring a rating of interest to be estimated. A predetermined number of neighbors are selected for an item whose rating is to be estimated, the neighbors being those with the highest similarity measures. Global effects are removed, and interpolation weights for the neighbors are computed simultaneously. The interpolation weights are used to estimate a rating for the item based on the neighboring ratings, Suitably, ratings are estimated for all items in a predetermined dataset that have not yet been rated by the user, and recommendations are made of the user by selecting a predetermined number of items in the dataset having the highest estimated ratings.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of allocating media streams includes measuring real-time port usage data related to each of a plurality of physical ports associated with a link aggregation group. The method further includes selecting at least one, but not all, of the plurality of physical ports based on the real-time port usage data and sending a media stream to a network via the physical port.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for assuring H.323 alias address portability to an H.323 user in real-time H.323 multimedia communications where the H.323 user is registered with a home gatekeeper for the home zone of the H.323 user. Alias address portability may be obtained using a central database that is known to the administrative zones and is used for alias address mapping, or alternatively, may be obtained by using a distributed database. The method may be implemented by: sending, by the H.323 user, a message with a called H.323 entity's alias address, to the home gatekeeper to originate a call to the called H.323 entity; confirming that the alias address, services, and service providers are portable; converting the alias address to a called routable alias address for the called H.323 entity and sending the alias address to the H.323 user; and placing the call to the called H.323 entity.

Abstract: Location-blocking and identity-blocking services that can be commercially offered by a service promoter, e.g., a cellular service provider or a web advertiser. In the identity-blocking service, the service promoter may disclose the current physical location of a mobile subscriber (i.e., a cellular phone operator) to a third party (e.g., a web advertiser) subscribing to the identity-blocking service. However, the service promoter may not send any identity information for the mobile subscriber to the third party. On the other hand, in the location-blocking service, the service promoter may disclose the mobile subscriber's identity information to the third party, but not the current physical location of the mobile subscriber. Blocking of the mobile subscriber's identity or location information may be desirable for privacy reasons, to comply with a government regulation, or to implement a telecommunication service option selected by the mobile subscriber.

Abstract: Traffic measurement should make it possible to obtain the spatial flow of traffic through the domain, i.e., the paths or trajectories followed by packets between any ingress and egress point of the domain. A method of sampling packet trajectories in a packet switching network allows the direct inference of traffic flows through a measurement domain by observing the trajectories of a subset of all packets traversing the network. A method which assumes that the measurement domain does not change comprises the steps of selecting packets for sampling in accordance with a sampling function of the packet content and generating a practically unique label for each sampled packet. The method does not rely on routing state, its implementation cost is small, and the measurement reporting traffic is modest and can be controlled precisely. Using the same hash function will yield the same sample set of packets in the entire domain, and enables us to reconstruct packet trajectories.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for creating a billing record with a called party's name. Providing the called party's name on the billing record facilitates the calling party's review of the billing record by reducing the amount of time and effort needed to determine the identity of the called parties. In addition to identifying fraudulent and misbilled calls, the called party's name allows a person reviewing the billing record to quickly identify long distance calls, quickly discern business from personal calls, and audit calls made from phone lines with multiple users (e.g., employees or kids). Additionally, the billing record reviewer saves time and money by avoiding the need to call directory assistance or a billing service to identify the calls.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer products and a website for electrical power maintenance and restoration. Exemplary embodiments include an electrical power maintenance and restoration system, including a server having an interface for communicating over a computer network, a database having a region of memory having data related to an inventory of electrical power equipment, a website coupled to the database for accessing the inventory of electrical power equipment in response to an event and a webpage for displaying location-specific data of the inventory of electrical power equipment.

Abstract: Systems for the non-invasive monitoring of the effectiveness of a customer's electronic security services include a test generation engine for generating and launching a denatured attack towards a customer's network. A monitoring and evaluation agent is operatively coupled to the test generation engine and is adapted to monitor and evaluate the denatured attack. A recording and analysis engine is adapted to record and analyze the results of the denatured attack. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing communications services. One method receives a request for electronic data, and the request for electronic data originating from a client communications device. The availability of network routing is assessed in real-time to fulfill the request. The availability of network bandwidth is assessed in real-time to fulfill the request. A preferred scenario of segmentation, dispersion, and assemblage of electronic data is ascertained to fulfill the request. Electronic data fulfilling the request is communicated to the client communications device, with the electronic data formatted according to the preferred scenario.

Abstract: A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message adapted for use by a multi-media services provider system to form a multi-media communication path between at least a calling communication device adapted to operate using a first protocol (e.g. SIP) and at least a destination communication device adapted to operate using a second protocol, such as Integrated Services Digital Network User Part (ISUP). The SIP message includes a header region having a number of header fields, a first body region having Session Description Protocol (SDP) information related to the calling communication device and a second body region having ISUP related addressing information associated with the destination communication device.

Abstract: An IP (Internet Protocol) diagnostic system is provided for troubleshooting data transport quality over an Internet Protocol operating in a communication system (100). The IP diagnostic system includes one or more processors (106) each placed at different segments (108) in the communication system. Each processor is programmed to receive (206) a request to establish a test session with a corresponding test node, establish (208) one or more IP connections with the test node, carry out (210) the test session with the test node on said IP connections, and measure (212) a quality level for each of said IP connections.

Abstract: A stream manager provides a way of redirecting and managing messaging and information access in a packet network environment. The stream manager is linked to a packet network, such as the Internet. The stream manager receives over the packet network a message from a user's host server initiated by a user and intended for a destination site. The message bears an address for the stream manager which is provided to the host server by the address server for the packet network, such as a server utilized as part of the domain name system. The stream manager determines the availability of at least one destination server at the destination site to receive and process the message. If a destination server at the destination site is available to receive and process the message, the stream manager selects a destination server from those available.

Abstract: The status of a plurality of service orders is summarized. A first data set that includes a plurality of records corresponding to service orders, such as requests for initiation of telephone or other communications services, is imported into a database application. At least one query or test may be executed on the first data set to generate a second data set that includes at least part of the first data set and one or more labels that have been appended to at least some of the plurality of records in the first data set. This second data may be imported into a spreadsheet application so that the spreadsheet application can automatically generate a summary of at least some of the data contained in the second data set.

Abstract: In a communications network, a network access point address is determined that is currently associated with at least one of a plurality of subscriber mobile devices associated with a subscription to an information service. Content associated with the information service is formatted to provide subscriber content that is configured to be used by the plurality of subscriber mobile devices. The subscriber content is broadcast from a transmitter at the determined network access point address to the at least one subscriber mobile device over a wireless network.