Abstract: A system is disclosed that enables a first call participant, such as an agent at a call center, to receive feedback about his attentiveness towards a second call participant while on a video call. Using the real-time image of the first call participant while on a video call, as well as additional information, the system of the illustrative embodiment evaluates one or more facial characteristics of the first participant, such as eye gaze; accumulates a record of predetermined, attentiveness-related conditions having been met; and notifies the first participant, or some other person such as the participant's supervisor, of the participant's attentiveness patterns.

Abstract: A system is disclosed that addresses a problem that can occur when a calling party of a video call withdraws from the call, but does not actually hang up. For example, after the calling party begins working through an interactive voice and video response (IVVR) session, the party might put his phone down, step away, drop the phone inadvertently, or otherwise disengage from the call without hanging up. In this event, the terminal itself is still connected to the call, so the call resource is tied up serving the terminal, even though the calling party has temporarily disengaged from the call. The system of the illustrative embodiment detects the disengagement of the party from the call and, as a result, suspends the use of the call resource that has been allocated for the call until the party re-engages with the call.

Abstract: A system is disclosed that enables a first call participant, such as an agent at a call center, to project a carefully-controlled appearance towards a second call participant, such as a customer calling for technical support, while on a video call. Using the real-time image of the first call participant while on a video call, as well as additional information, the system of the illustrative embodiment selects and superimposes a visual background that appears to the caller as being behind the agent. The visual background can be selected to cater towards what the caller expects or wants to see, or what the message is that the agent-represented business wants to convey. The system of the illustrative embodiment can dynamically change the visual background during a call or from one call to another, depending on factors related to the calling party, factors related to the called party, and so forth.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for reducing wireless telecommunication costs for enterprises having a plurality of PBX-equipped sites, connected by either a public network (e.g., the PSTN, the Internet, etc.), a private network (e.g., leased lines, a virtual private network [VPN] over the Internet, etc.), or some combination of public and private networks. In particular, the illustrative embodiments of the present invention attempt to reduce telecommunication costs by advantageously routing calls from an off-premises wireless terminal belonging to the enterprise via one or more of the enterprise's private branch exchanges. The present invention is especially advantageous in that it can reduce telecommunication costs for calls from an off-premises wireless terminal to any type of destination: another cell phone, a wireline terminal, a private branch exchange, etc.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for routing calls over an organization's private network of private branch exchanges. In particular, when a member of the organization (e.g., an employee, etc.) places a call from his or her affiliated off-premises telecommunications terminal (e.g., cell phone, etc.), the call is automatically routed to its destination through at least a portion of the private network of private branch exchanges when doing so reduces the cost of the call. In the illustrative embodiment, the call routing is performed automatically and transparently via software on the affiliated terminals (i.e., employees' cell phones) and on the organization's private branch exchanges.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed that enables the adaptive pooling of M transmission paths that offer a first signal-quality guarantee, or no guarantee at all, with N transmission paths that offer a second signal-quality guarantee. Through this adaptive pooling, a telecommunications channel is created that meets the quality of service or waveform quality required for a packet stream being transmitted, while not excessively exceeding the required quality. The technique adaptively recaptures any excess signal quality from one path and uses it to boost the quality of an inferior path. A node of the illustrative embodiment selects the paths to handle a current segment of source packets, based on one or more parameters that are disclosed herein. The node adapts to changing conditions by adjusting the transmission characteristics for each successive segment of packets from the source packet stream.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed that enables the run-time behavior of a data-processing system to be analyzed and, in many cases, to be predicted. In particular, the illustrative embodiment of the present invention comprises i) transforming the messages that constitute an unstructured log into a numerical series and ii) applying a time-series analysis on the resultant series for the purpose of pattern detection. Indeed, it is recognized in the illustrative embodiment that the problem really is to detect patterns that depict aspects of system behavior, regardless of the textual content of the individual log messages. In other words, by analyzing the totality of the messages in the log or logs—as opposed to looking for pre-defined patterns of the individual messages—system behavior can be mapped and understood. The mapping helps in characterizing the system for the purposes of predicting failure, determining the time required to reach stability during failure recovery, and so forth.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new network topology. More specifically, a peer-to-peer network is defined on a virtual private network. The peer-to-peer network comprises a set of specified users within a virtual private network that are allowed to communicate according to predetermined rules enforced by the peer-to-peer network itself. This affords secure communication between the specified users of the peer-to-peer network independent of the virtual private network.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed that enable the sharing, between a telephone and a computer, of input peripherals such as a keyboard and mouse and of output peripherals such as a video display. Historically, a telephone and a computer have possessed different interfaces with their user and with peripheral devices. Therefore, except where the telephone functionality is in the form of a softphone implemented on a computer, the telephone in the prior art is often incapable of sharing certain peripherals with a physically-adjacent computer. The telephone device of the illustrative embodiment enables sharing between the telephone and a computer, in contrast to sharing peripherals between computers in the prior art. The telephone device is able to determine which user inputs from a shared keyboard or mouse are intended for which data-processing device (i.e.

Abstract: Packaging for electrical equipment is disclosed in which metal electrically conductive staples are stapled—in contrast to tacked—through the packaging to provide an electrical path between the inside and the outside of the packaging. On the inside of the packaging, each staple clutches and is electrically connected to a wire that is connected to a jack on the electrical equipment. This provides an electrical path between the outside of the packaging and the electrical equipment. When the electrical equipment is to be tested or configured, the testing tool is connected to the staples on the outside of the packaging with spring-load clips. This provides as many electrical paths between the testing tool and the electrical equipment as necessary or desirable and for very little cost.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed that enables a set of information to be represented by data packets, where those data packets can then be distributed as needed throughout the telecommunications system that uses the data. The data packet of the illustrative embodiment is an autonomous encapsulation of data, a subsection of a data model at a certain time in relation to other data in the system at another time. The data packet is identified at a particular time and value with a globally unique identifier. Relationships of the data packet to other data packets are made known by using references to the other packets. As a result, referenced data packets are retrieved throughout the system based on their relationships to each other. Whenever a data packet is transmitted or received, each node involved in the transmission applies rules that determine where the data has to be transmitted to and what to do with the data when received.

Abstract: A conference call is disclosed that is partitioned into two or more topics by a host. Participants to the conference call can then inform the illustrative embodiment which topic or topics they are interested in and where they can be reached over the course of the conference call. At that point, those people who are not interested in the immediate topic can hang up or put their terminal on mute or other go about their business. As the conference call progresses from topic to topic, the host, or another person, informs the illustrative embodiment which topic is next to be discussed. The illustrative embodiment then alerts the participants who indicated their interest in the topic if their terminal is on mute or standby and adds the participants that are not connected to the conference call at all.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed that enables a context-driven, adaptive technique for generating a list of telephone numbers. The technique of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention seeks to dynamically anticipate what telephone numbers a user might want to dial—even before the user knows—and presents the names of the parties and their telephone numbers to the user at his or her terminal. In particular, the technique monitors a user, the user's locale, and one or more terminals in that locale; selects one or more telephone numbers from a master set of numbers, based on the monitored information; and presents the selected numbers to the user—for example, in the form of a speed-dial list or a one-touch dial list. The user can then examine the presented telephone numbers and decide if he or she wants to call one of them. The technique can be implemented at the user's computer, telephone, private branch exchange, or other device in the relevant telecommunications system.

Abstract: A telecommunications system is disclosed that enables a telecommunications switch to be “user” programmable in the “field”—in contrast to only programmable by the manufacturer or third-party software company—with audio samples. Each audio sample is exemplar of a sound that might be encountered during or after the establishment of a telecommunications call that is handled by the telecommunications switch. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the audio samples are received by the telecommunications switch through one or more of the same ports that the telecommunications switch uses to route calls, in contrast to programs and program data that are received by the telecommunications switch through a programming port.

Abstract: A conferencing system is disclosed in which a participant to a conference call can program the embodiment to listen for one or more “keywords” in the conference call. The keywords might be a participant's name or words associated with him or her or words associated with his or her area of knowledge. The embodiments uses speech recognition technology to listen for those words. When the embodiments detects that those words have been spoken, the embodiment alerts the participant—using audible, visual, and/or tactile signals—that the participant's attention to the call is warranted. When the keywords are chosen wisely, the benefit can be great.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that breaks the “one line, one location” paradigm of teleconferencing in the prior art. The teleconference bridge in the illustrative embodiment is able to utilize more than one audio channel from each location. By having access to more than one audio channel from a teleconference location's sound field, the bridge is able to create a multi-channel effect during a conference call. When more than one microphone is present in the first sound field, they can be used to create a multi-channel effect in a second or other sound field involved in a conference call that has more than one loudspeaker. With the bridge mimicking the multi-channel imaging in one room with the multi-channel imaging in another, the conference call participants can experience audio depth during a conference call and can experience two-dimensional imaging, depending on the microphone or speaker separation that is present.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that breaks the “one line, one location” paradigm of teleconferencing in the prior art. The teleconference bridge in the illustrative embodiment is able to utilize more than one audio channel from each location, where there are multiple signal sources present in the room. As a result, the bridge is able to determine acoustically whether two are more endpoints are collocated with each another. During an initialization sequence, the bridge transmits special audio signals to one or more endpoints present in a particular sound field; those endpoints then play the signals out of their loudspeakers. Based on a characteristic (e.g., amount of correlation, signal strength, etc.) of the signals received at each microphone present in the same sound field, the bridge determines whether to include or exclude signals that are received from a first endpoint when preparing a signal for transmission to a second endpoint during a conference call.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to determine the presence of one or more cellular phones in the same sound field as an endpoint that is dedicated for teleconferencing, such as a speakerphone. The teleconference bridge of the illustrative embodiment continually receives geo-location information about the cell phone. Based on the geo-location of the cell phone relative to the position of the speakerphone, the bridge determines whether to include or exclude signals that are received from the cell phone when preparing a signal for transmission to the speakerphone during a conference call. The bridge also determines whether to refrain from transmitting an audio signal to the cell phone, when the bridge infers that the cell phone is being used as a satellite microphone, such as when the cell phone is placed on a conference room table. As a result, each conference call participant is able to use his or her own cell phone as a personal satellite microphone, which can improve the sound quality of the conference call.

Abstract: A telecommunications feature is disclosed that enables a person to disconnect from a telecommunications session (e.g., a telephone call, a chat session, a video conference, etc.) and to be automatically reconnected at a later time. For example, Fred might be required to participate in his project group's weekly conference call, but as a practical matter Fred really only need to participate at the beginning and end of the meeting. After the conference call begins and Fred learns that the meeting will end at 4:00 PM, Fred uses the present invention to program his telephone to disconnect from the conference call now and to automatically reconnect to the conference call at 3:45 PM. This gives Fred the opportunity to get some work done and yet not miss the end of the conference call.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are disclosed for use by organizations that have PBXs at a plurality of sites. The invention pertains to cell phone calls from an to his or her “home” private branch exchange. For example, an employee who works at the Chicago branch office might call the Chicago office's PBX to invoke a feature such as setting up call forwarding, retrieving voice mail, etc. In the illustrative embodiment, such calls might be automatically and transparently directed to another PBX when it is advantageous to do so (e.g., for the purposes of security, reducing toll charges, because of unavailability of a particular PBX, etc.) Factors that might be used to determine whether to re-direct a call and to which PBX to re-direct a call include the day and time of the call, the network that the cell phone is currently connected to, etc.