Abstract: Methods and apparatus to visualize locations of radio frequency identification (RFID) tagged items are described. One example method includes receiving a request from a portable electronic device to access product information associated with an individual radio frequency identification (RFID) tagged item, determining a location of the product information in a database, transmitting the located product information to the portable electronic device for display thereon, receiving modified product information associated with the individual RFID tagged item from the portable electronic device, and storing the modified product information to the location of the product information in the database.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Unified Messaging System (UMS) having a Session Border Controller (SBC) to receive a Session Initiation Protocol Uniform Resource Identifier (SIP URI), detect from a host portion of the SIP URI that the SIP URI is associated with a failover communication session, update a user portion of the SIP URI to indicate a failure disposition, and route the updated SIP URI to a call agent of the UMS. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a telephone Number Mapping (ENUM) system having a subsystem to monitor one or more operations of the ENUM system, determine if ENUM data packets that are received are one of provisioning packets or query packets, send the query packets to a Virtual Internet Protocol (VIP) address of an ENUM domain name system (DNS) server when the ENUM data packets are query packets, send the provisioning packets to a VIP address of an ENUM Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server when the ENUM data packets are provisioning packets, and cause the subsystem to wait and send traffic to one LDAP server at a time after determining if the ENUM data packets are one of provisioning packets or query packets. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for distributing geographical restriction data in an internet protocol television (IPTV) system is disclosed. The method includes accepting at an IPTV server, a request from an IPTV client for the geographical restriction data related to geographically restricted video data, determining at the server, a plurality of geographic restriction zones for the geographically restricted video data and sending from the server to the client a message containing the restriction data related to at least one of the restriction zones.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for receiving a group of video channels at a client device, selecting a display set from the group of channels, and sending a communication to a display for displaying each channel in the display set in parallel wherein each one of the channels in the display set is displayed in one of a plurality of picture in picture (PIP) displays for a predetermined time.

Abstract: A system and method of communication in an IMS network is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a call processing server having a controller element that receives from a terminal device a calling ID for establishing communications with a called party, submits to a telephone number mapping (ENUM) server a query corresponding to the calling ID, receives from the ENUM server a plurality of communication identifiers retrieved from a Naming Authority Pointer record according to a grade of service (GoS) of the called party, and selects according to the GoS of the called party a communication identifier from the plurality of communication identifiers to establish communications with the called party. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A menu is provided in a telephone call. The menu provides a plurality of destination options including a first destination option for a residence of a family, a second destination option for a first member of the family at a first location other than the residence, and a third destination option for a second member of the family at a second location other than the residence. A first selection of one of the destination options is received in the telephone call, and the telephone call is routed to a first telephone number corresponding to the first selection. Thereafter, an originating dual-tone multi-frequency trigger is detected. The telephone call to the first telephone number is interrupted, a second selection of the destination options is received, and the telephone call is routed to a second telephone number corresponding to the second selection.

Abstract: A system and method of identifying events scheduled at a media recorder. In a particular embodiment, a system to identify events scheduled at a media recorder is disclosed. The system includes an identification module to determine a time interval and an address and to identify one or more media content items scheduled for recording within the time interval. The system also includes a notification module to send a message to the address, the message including scheduling information related to the one or more media content items scheduled for recording within the time interval.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an encoder having a controller adapted to receive a Digital Video (DV) stream with metadata, retrieve from at least a portion of the metadata a native video format, configure encoding of at least a portion of the DV stream according to the retrieved native video format, generate from at least the portion of the DV stream an encoded video stream conforming to a Moving Picture Experts Group format and the native video format, and submit the encoded video stream to an Acquisition server for multicast distribution. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A disclosed access control application and an associated method for managing access to multimedia content include enabling an administrator, e.g., a parent, to create a user account for a user, e.g., a child, and a password and a profile for the user account. The method further includes assigning an access level to the user and generating an initial set of content access indicator (CAIs) based on the access level. The initial CAI influences or determines the user's ability to access content associated with the access level. The method further includes modifying at least one of the CAIs in response to a request from the administrator. When a user subsequently send a navigation signal or command while the user account is active, the navigation signal is processed based at least in part on the CAIs to prevent the user from accessing content that the applicable CAI indicates as being restricted.

Abstract: A system for managing data collection processes is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure can include, a data collection system having a controller element that assigns a priority level for processes, assigns to each of the processes a query interval for requesting use of processing resources, prompts each of the processes according to their respective query interval to request use of at least a portion of available processing resources, releases at least a portion of the available processing resources to a requesting one of the processes when the utilization of available processing resources exceeds a utilization threshold, and modifies the query interval of the processes after occurrence of a triggering event. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Unified Messaging System (UMS) having a controller to receive one or more voicemail, video, or text messages directed to a subscriber of the UMS, present the subscriber one of a first option to convert one of the one or more voicemail messages received in a first media playback format to a second media playback format, and a second option to transfer at least a portion of one or more of the received voicemail, video or text messages received by the UMS to one of a set top box or digital video recorder. The controller is adapted to detect a selection of one of said options, and execute the selected option. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a digital video recorder (DVR) having a controller to record video content supplied by a media communication system, establish a threshold for utilization of a memory resource of the DVR, detect a utilization of the memory resource that exceeds the threshold, generate a notice describing the utilization of the memory resource at or after the time the threshold was exceeded, identify a communication identifier associated with a portable communication device, transmit the notice to the portable communication device according to the identified communication identifier, and receive a response message from the portable communication device that includes one or more instructions to manage the memory resource of the DVR. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods of controlling a messaging system are provided. A particular method includes generating an n-times-use network address to access a control interface in response to receipt of a message addressed to a subscriber at a messaging system. The method further includes determining a notification address associated with the subscriber and generating a notification message addressed to the notification address. The notification message includes at least a portion of content of the message and the n-times-uses network address. The n-times-use network address is selectable a predetermined number of times at a browser application to send a control message to the control interface to control disposition of the message.

Abstract: A help service includes proxying a web application page between a user web browser and a web application server. The help service includes providing the web application page to a customer service representative (CSR) web browser and opening a live communication channel for human communication between a user and a customer service representative. In some embodiments, from within a user network, a user help request is generated from a user web browser and received from a help server. The web application page may be transmitted over the Internet to the CSR web browser. In some embodiments, the CSR web browser may operate as a COMET client, the user web browser may act as an AJAX server-side processor, and the user web browser may operate as a COMET client for receiving updates to the web application page.

Abstract: Community content ratings are provided to users for one or more multimedia programs. The community content ratings are generated from appropriateness data collected from members of one or more community groups. The members of the community groups may be selected automatically based on stored profiles that include demographic data. Alternatively, community group membership may occur by choice and at the request of potential members. The community content ratings may be presented using appropriateness indicators (e.g., checkmarks or numerical scores) that are presented to a user in response to the user selecting the multimedia program from an electronic programming guide.

Abstract: Disclosed methods of achieving load balancing among a plurality of border elements in a next generation networks (NGN) communication network include a method for processing and user endpoint originated messages (UEOM), such as a register or invite message, generated by a user endpoint. A work load information data structure indicative of a first border element's work load and a second border element's work load is maintained when the border elements exchange work load information. Based on the work load information, a first border element responds to a UEOM by either (1) accepting the UEOM for first border element processing, (2) determining whether to accept the UEOM for first border element processing or redirect the UEOM to a second border element for second border element processing, or (3) rejecting the UEOM.

Abstract: A method is disclosed and includes receiving a selection of a first video program, receiving a selection of a linking command to link the first video program to a second video program, receiving a user request to output the first video program to a display device, and outputting the first video program in response to the user request. The method further includes after displaying the first video program, automatically outputting the second video program to the display device without an additional user action.

Abstract: Virtual environments are presented on displays along with multimedia programs to permit viewers to participate in a social interactive television environment. The virtual environments include avatars that are created and maintained in part using continually updated animation data that may be captured from cameras that monitor viewing areas in a plurality of sites. User input from the viewers may be processed in determining which viewers are presented in instances of the virtual environment. Continually updating the animation data results in avatars accurately depicting a viewer's facial expressions and other characteristics. Presence data may be collected and used to determine when to capture background images from a viewing area that may later be subtracted during the capture of animation data. Speech recognition technology may be employed to provide callouts within a virtual environment.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may operate according to, for example, a method involving recording audio feedback from a plurality of subscribers commenting on media content supplied by a media communication system on at least one of a plurality of media channels, detecting one or more trigger words in the recorded audio feedback having an association with a disruption of one or more media services supplied by the media communication system, selecting one or more network elements of the media communication system in at least one transmission path that supplies media services to one or more of the plurality of subscribers that supplied audio feedback matching the one or more trigger words, and directing the selected one or more network elements to record media content on one or more media channels selected from the plurality of media channels. Other embodiments are disclosed.