Abstract: A system for maintaining an address book, wherein the address book includes a plurality of entries with each entry containing contact information and wherein address book updates are transmitted over a wireless network. The system includes a gateway for storing the address book and transmitting the address book updates to a wireless device.

Abstract: A system, method and computer-readable medium are disclosed for identifying representative data using sketches. The method embodiment comprises generating a plurality of vectors from a data set, modifying each of the vectors of the plurality of vectors and selecting one of the plurality of generated vectors according to a comparison of a summed distance between a modified vector associated with the selected generated vector and remaining modified vectors. Modifying the generated vectors may involve reduced each generated vector to a lower dimensional vector. The summed distance then represents a summed distance between the lower dimensional vector and remaining lower dimensional vectors.

Abstract: A method and tool for managing network infrastructure is presented. The tool provides information related to infrastructure of international networks, including facilities and equipment, and enables the display of such information. The information can be displayed in both geographic and tabular form. The equipment includes international as well as proprietary equipment, and information describes the relationship between the two.

Abstract: A system for temporary aliasing is provided. A representative system includes a database system operable to store a plurality of network profiles, each network profile being associated with a user. The database system being further operable to provide a first user with a temporary alias to allow addition of the temporary alias to a network profile associated with a second user. The system further includes a service manager coupled to the database system and operable to remove the temporary alias from the network profile of the second user. Methods and other systems for temporary aliasing are also provided.

Abstract: A system utilizing a transmitter emitting a unique signal and a base station receiver having a database of household members is used to ascertain the identity of household members who are home at any particular time. Such information is used by the local telephone network to provide specialized telephone services to the household based on the identity of the household members who are home. A manual and emergency services override is provided to permit the completion of telephone calls from emergency services personnel and other persons irrespective of the presence or absence of any household member. The information regarding the presence or absence of household members also may be used to intelligently provide other household services such as heating and cooling or home security depending on the identity of persons who are home.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automating test procedures to determine if non-emergency signaling message processing errors impact emergency calls, e.g., E911 calls, are disclosed. In one embodiment, the present method alerts network engineers so that crankback procedures to alternative routes can be instituted when these E911 call impacting error conditions are detected in a network.

Abstract: A method and system for implementing secure network communications between a first device and a second device, at least one of the devices communicating with the other device via a firewall device, are provided. The method and system may include obtaining an encryption parameter that is shared by the first device, second device and firewall device. A data packet sent by the first device may then be copied within the firewall device, so that decryption of the copy of the data packet within a portion of the firewall device may take place. In particular, the portion of the firewall device in which decryption takes place is defined such that contents of the portion are inaccessible to an operator of the firewall device. Thus, scanning of the decrypted copy of the data packet for compliance with a predetermined criterion may take place within the firewall device, without an operator of the firewall device having access to the contents of the data packet to be transmitted.

Abstract: A subscriber in communication with an IP network (12) such as the Internet, though a terminal (14) may launch an application on a Public Switched Telecommunications Network (PSTN) (16) by entering a data packet that takes the format of a telephone number that identifies the PSTN application. An IP gateway (22) couples the IP network (12) to the PSTN (16) and serves to recognize the data packet in the format of the PSTN application telephone number as well as translate the packet yield a stream of DTMF or other signals corresponding to the PSTN application telephone number. The IP gateway (22) then launches the stream of signals to dial the telephone number of the PSTN application. The gateway may also request information or control PSTN calls via the signaling/data channel between the gateway and the PSTN.

Abstract: A packet telephony appliance includes a Euphony network processor that integrates networking and DSP functions to provide a low cost and efficient solution in building a networked appliance. In particular, a Euphony ATM Telephone (EAT) is built around the Euphony network processor. The EAT uses a real-time operating system to provide predictable processing and networking support. The EAT implements IObufs, which provides a unified buffering scheme that allows zero-copy data movement. Furthermore, the EAT uses an Event Exchange (EVX), which provides a flexible mechanism for event distribution, allowing software modules to be composed together in an extensible manner. EVX and IObufs are used together to provide highly efficient intra-appliance communication. The EAT provides a platform that can evolve gracefully to support new protocols, advanced telephony services and enhanced user interfaces.

Abstract: A system and method of routing both caller-paid and toll-free telephone calls includes a local exchange network and an interexchange network in communication with a call routing processor. The call routing processor receives status information on at least two call service centers and provides routing instructions to both the interexchange and local exchange networks. The method includes the steps of a call controller in a local exchange network communicating with a call routing processor also in communication with an interexchange network, the call controller identifying calls to call service centers and requesting instructions from the call routing processor.

Abstract: A menu routing service routes calls made to a customer's toll-free number according to customized routing instructions. A service provider establishes service parameters, which include the toll-free number and a restriction associated with at least one of the customer and the service provider. To customize call routing, a web server receives instructions from the customer to associate the toll-free number with a terminating number, such as a directory number or switch ID and trunk group numbers. When the restriction prohibits the association, the web server determines whether the service parameters further include an override indicator associated with the customer that overrides the restriction. The toll-free number is associated with the terminating number when service parameters include the override indicator.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining and maintaining user presence information include capturing user presence data with an application presence server. The application presence server can be configured to update user presence data as a user initiates or exits an application. Applications associated with user presence data are configured to query an application proxy client concerning user presence data of a selected user and, based on a returned user status, deliver, discard, or redirect a message intended for the user. User presence data is stored in a user presence repository and can be provided via Internet-based or other connections to applications executed on external networks. User activity status can be used to select or update user presence data. In some examples, an application server of an external network is configured to receive user presence data from the presence server.

Abstract: A method for cost-effective optical transmission with fast Raman tilt or other transient event control uses a combination of Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) and Raman fiber amplifiers (RFAs), where EDFAs are used as the primary optical amplifiers to compensate the span loss while the RFA (advantageously a forward-pumped RFA) is used only in some specific spans with a feed-forward control circuit serving as a fast Raman tilt transient compensator, the RFA also serving as an optical amplifier. A long haul optical transmission system using feed-forward controlled RFA's periodically spaced along its length, for example, when add-drop multiplexing is used, makes full use of the economics of EDFAs and the fast tilt transient control capability of a RFA enabled by an adjustable speed feed-forward or feed-back control technique.

Abstract: A system and methods for automating membership discovery in a distributed computer network is presented. A first virtual circuit label switch path (LSP) associated with a first VPLS is established between a first multi tenant unit (MTU) and an attached provider edge (PE) device. A first label mapping message (LMM) is communicated over the first virtual circuit LSP and received at the PE device. The PE device broadcasts the LMM to a plurality of additional PE devices. In addition, methods for automating membership discovery for adding and deleting virtual private LAN service (VPLS) sites are presented. A virtual circuit forwarding equivalence class (VC-FEC) type packet utilized in the various methods and system is also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting power outages in communication networks are described. In one implementation, an alarm associated with a network error is detected. Attempts are made to contact the network equipment originating the alarm. The alarm is linked to an error that is identified as either a power outage or another type of error depending on the results of the attempts to contact the network equipment originating the alarm.

Abstract: Transmitting network metrics data from disparate client platforms to a service provider for the calculation of performance measurements so that the level of service may be verified. The metrics data is received by the service provider in formats associated with the subscriber's platform. When the metrics data is received by the service provider, it is converted into a host format so that it may be presented to the network subscribers.

Abstract: Broadband access is provided to a virtual private network (VPN), including multiple local area networks (LANs) configured to interface with an IPv6 service provider network. Data to be routed from an originating device in an originating LAN to a destination device in a destination LAN is received by an ingress line interface and encapsulated in an IPv6 packet. A unique identification number assigned to the VPN is added to the IPv6 packet. When the destination device's address is not mapped to a corresponding egress line interface, the IPv6 packet is broadcast to a multicast address associated with the VPN. When the destination device's address is mapped to the egress line interface, the IPv6 packet is unicast to the egress line interface. The data is ultimately received and decapsulated by the egress line interface. After the VPN identification number is verified, the data is transmitted to the destination device.

Abstract: A method and system for graphically displaying call signaling flows for a communications network is described. In one example, a call flow alarm indicating an improper call signaling flow for a call is received. A respective projected call signaling flow associated with the call is then obtained. Lastly, the improper call signaling flow and the respective projected call signaling flow are graphically displayed.

Abstract: A mobile station is used by one of a plurality of subscribers of a home area wireless service provider. The mobile station includes a memory for storing a home area wireless network identity and a plurality of preferred wireless network identities. The mobile station further including a controller controlling said mobile station to connect to the home area wireless network when in a home area and controlling said mobile station to connect to one of the preferred wireless networks when outside the home area.

Abstract: A multi-band hybrid amplifier is disclosed for use in optical fiber systems. The amplifier uses Raman laser pumps and semiconductor optical amplifiers in series to produce a relatively level gain across the frequency range of interest. Multiple Raman pumps are multiplexed before coupling into the fiber. The Raman amplified optical signal may be demultiplexed and separately amplified by the SOAs before re-multiplexing. Gain profiles of the Raman pumps and the SOAs are selected to compensate for gain tilt and to alleviate the power penalty due to cross-gain modulation in the SOAs. The disclosed hybrid amplifier is especially useful in coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM) systems.