Patents Assigned to British Telecommunication, plc
  • Patent number: 7610333
    Abstract: Messages are generated by a first device which messages together have the purpose of identifying a predetermined number of devices which satisfy a test condition included in each message. These messages are sent respectively to on-line devices neighboring the first device. To ensure that no more devices than necessary are identified by the messages, each message includes a variable which is referred to as a token bucket which indicates the number of devices to be discovered by the message. Additionally, each message includes a unique identifier. When one device receives a discovery message sent from another device, it determines if it satisfies the test condition and if so it sends an acceptance message to the originating device, decrements the token bucket in the message and forwards on any remaining tokens to another neighbor. The process stops once all tokens have been disposed of in this way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: Derrick D Robertson, Paul F McKee
  • Patent number: 7609644
    Abstract: A number of data collection devices are free to move relative to each other through their environment, collecting data from their environment. They form an ad hoc wireless network in which data collected by a device either by its own sensors, or relayed from another device is transmitted to a destination either directly or by means of one or more other devices. The destination collects data collected by the mobile terminals for subsequent processing. The wireless links between them have to be re-arranged in order to provide the optimum network. When two devices come into proximity to each other, a forwarding direction is determined to identify to which device data should be forwarded. The devices co-operate to define their forwarding directions by exchanging data relating to their physical locations, and factors such as the spare capacity of their buffer stores, and battery condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventor: Jane E Tateson
  • Patent number: 7609827
    Abstract: A CTI system includes a translation table of user names against consistent (i.e. simulated) calling line identity. When a user originates a call, the CTI server knows the name of the user currently associated with, i.e. logged on at, the originating work desk, and refers to the consistent CLI translation table to obtain the consistent CLI for that user, and to instruct the switch to make the call using that consistent CLI in the setup signalling message. In some CTI systems, the consistent CLI translation table is in the form of a user-associated dummy terminal translation table, and the CTI server instructs the PBX to make a call from the respective user-associated dummy terminal. In this case, the PBX stores the consistent CLI corresponding to that dummy terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: Laurence J Booton, Charles R Carrington
  • Patent number: 7599597
    Abstract: An installation for terminates a network cable of a public communication network at customer premises. The network cable is terminted and a connector allows a connection to be made between the public communication network and the customer premises via the termination. The termination is enclosed within an external wall of the customer premises. A first closeable access aperture is provided to permit access to the termination from outside the customer premises, and a second closeable access aperture is provided to permit access to the termination from within the customer premises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: John Kerry, Philip A Barker, Philip J Longhurst
  • Patent number: 7596592
    Abstract: Remote data transfer is achieved via a data transfer network. To allow a user to transfer data at a higher data transfer rate in a cellular network, a user experiences the problem that the bandwidth available to him may vary, and in particular, may not be sufficient to allow the user to download information from the internet. To address this problem, a registered user is allowed to transfer identified data, for example, data identified by a particular url, by a user of a cellular network to a remote location, for example, the user's home computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: Terrence I Mason, Stephen Minnis
  • Patent number: 7593905
    Abstract: A method of combinatorial multimodal optimization uses a genetic algorithm to find simultaneous global optimal solutions to combinatorial problems. Each individual within the population is associated not only with a fitness value but with a fitness vector, using which the persistence of all of the best individuals into the next generation can be guaranteed. Phenotype as well as genotype analysis is an integral part of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventor: Liwen He
  • Patent number: 7593602
    Abstract: A database of visual images includes metadata having, for a particular image, at least one entry specifying: a part of that image, another stored image, and a measure Sabi of the degree of similarity between that specified part and the specified other image. One or more images are displayed and input is received from a user (for examples, by using a gaze tracker) indicative of part of the displayed images. Measures of interest are determined for each of a plurality of non-displayed stored images specified by the metadata for the displayed image(s), as a function of the similarity measure(s) and the relationship between the user input and the part specified. On the basis of these measures, a selection is made from those non-displayed stored images of further images for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventor: Frederick W M Stentiford
  • Patent number: 7593618
    Abstract: A sequence of intensity measures is determined corresponding to each of a sequence of video frames. Such can be used for selection of videos according to user preferences and for providing highlights from a video sequence. Low level video characteristics are used which may be related to arousal and valence affects conveyed to a viewer while watching the video recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: Li-Qun Xu, Alan Hanjalic
  • Patent number: 7587029
    Abstract: A device for testing a data carrying service operating over a telecommunications line includes a plurality of test circuits. Each test circuit is arranged to determine and test one or more characteristics of a data carrying service and a termination of the telecommunications line is emulated. The operation of each of the plurality of test circuits is controlled, and the telecommunications lines is connected to one or more of the plurality of test circuits. The data carrying service remains connected via a connection during all of the testing operations provided by one or more of the test circuits which enables the device to automatically determine the identity of the data carrying service. The test circuits may be arranged to enable emulation of a termination to be interconnected so as to enable the device to provide a passive link in the data carrying service and/or provide throughput testing of the telecommunications line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
    Inventors: Adrian R Pepper, Jonathan C. J Rich
  • Patent number: 7586853
    Abstract: In a communications network environment, nodes, such as personal computers, are assigned co-ordinates in a co-ordinate space which is independent of network address and physical location. Each node maintains links to a limited set of other nodes by storing the network addresses for those selected nodes. Each stored network address represents a link in co-ordinate space. It becomes possible for any node to obtain the network address for a target node by initiating a query message to a node for which it has the network address, which query message is propagated through the network between nodes which have the network address for a next node across co-ordinate space. When a receiving node finds it is the target node, or is as close in co-ordinate space as it is possible to forward the query message, it returns its own network address to the initiating node. This technique can also be used to retrieve information other than network addresses—such as objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: Erwin R. Bonsma, Cefn R. Hoile
  • Patent number: 7578441
    Abstract: An association is created in a computer system between the appearance of a token and one or more stored files for the purpose of retrieving and presenting said one or more stored files. The appearance of the token is measured and a token identity is created from the obtained measurement. The token identity is stored in an identity store. The stored file is associated with the token identity within the computer system. The appearance of the token is subsequently measured and a subsequent identity is created for the token using subsequent measurement data obtained from the subsequent measurement. The identity store is searched for a match with the subsequent identity and upon the location of a match, the one or more stored files are retrieved and presented to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: Andrew P Gower, Martin W Trimby, Jonathan S Sutton
  • Patent number: 7574332
    Abstract: A hierarchical behavioral framework is used to generate and control autonomous and semi-autonomous behavior in an articulate object. A behavioral controller is arranged to receive input associated with a behavioral action, to infer a plurality of behavioral parameter values using the framework, and to generate equivalent behavior in the articulate object using the parameter values when loaded in the behavioral controller to generate output corresponding to the equivalent behavior. The equivalent behavior may reproduce the inputted behavioral action, and/or include one or more other behavioral actions, which may be performed simultaneously or as part of a sequence of actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: Daniel Ballin, Marco Gillies
  • Patent number: 7574051
    Abstract: A first visual image or other pattern (A) is represented by a first ordered set of elements (xi) each having a value and a second pattern (B) is a represented by a second ordered set of element (ui) each having a value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventor: Frederick W M Stentiford
  • Patent number: 7570862
    Abstract: A cable lead out device (10) suitable for use within a bore (13) through a wall (60), the device comprising a body to guide a cable, the cable having a minimum permitted bend radius, along a passageway in the bore, the passageway being defined by the body and extending in an arc from a first point within the bore via the mouth of the bore to a second point outside of the bore, wherein the first point is sited within the bore at a location so that the cable guided along the passageway arcs substantially at its minimum permitted bend radius. The device (10) consists of a tube portion (12), a neck (26) having an engaging end (24), a horn portion (14) having an arc-shaped passageway (15) and a terminating end (16). The device (10) is suitable for electrical and optical cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: John Kerry, Philip A Barker
  • Patent number: 7570815
    Abstract: A first image (or other pattern) is represented by a first ordered set of elements A each having a value and a second pattern is represented by a second such set. A comparison of the two involves performing, for each of a plurality of elements x of the first ordered set the steps of selecting from the first ordered set a plurality of elements x? in the vicinity of the element x under consideration, selecting an element y of the second ordered set and comparing the elements x? of the first ordered set with elements y? of the second ordered set (each of which has the same position relative to the selected element y? of the second ordered set as a respective one x? of the selected plurality of elements of the first ordered set has relative to the element x under consideration).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventor: Frederick W M Stentiford
  • Patent number: 7568049
    Abstract: Nodes of a computer network are found by performing, in response to input of a label, a first retrieval operation (32) to identify the address of a node matching that label, and performing, in response to an address identified by the first retrieval means, a second retrieval operation (35) to identify the addresses of further nodes matching the same label. Each node matching a given label has a data storage area for containing the addresses of other nodes matching the same label and is responsive to inquiry messages to return a message containing the addresses of the list. The second retrieval operation includes sending an inquiry message to the address identified by the first retrieval means and upon receipt of a response iteratively sending further inquiry messages to addresses contained in the response to the previous inquiry message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventor: Erwin R Bonsma
  • Patent number: 7567550
    Abstract: A communications network has a communications station, such as a telephone exchange, and at least one interface, such as a cabinet. A plurality of optical carriers are provided between the exchange and a cabinet, thereby allowing modulation of the signals, for example xDSL modulation, to be carried out at the exchange, rather than at the cabinet. This arrangement reduces the need to power the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: Ian D Henning, David Wake, Russell Davey
  • Patent number: 7567548
    Abstract: The perceptual quality of voice signals used for Voice over IP (VoIP) systems is assessed. The content of the voice data packets may be altered in order to increase the perceived quality of the VoIP system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: Richard J B Reynolds, Philip Gray, Michael P Hollier, Antony W Rix
  • Patent number: 7562062
    Abstract: A forecasting engine arranged to generate a forecast for a set of historic time-series data. The engine includes one or more one or more generically structured core algorithmic components providing a core function in a forecasting heuristic algorithm, and one or more generically structured optional algorithmic components providing an optional function in the forecasting heuristic algorithm. Each algorithmic component is individually tuned in a predetermined sequence, and the first algorithmic component in the sequence performs a tuning process on the set of historic time-series data. Subsequently, algorithmic components are tuned using time-series data conditioned by ail of the tuning processes previously performed in the predetermined sequence. The entire sequence of algorithmic components is arranged to collectively provide conditioned data which is used to generate a forecast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: Cedric Ladde, Anargyros Garyfalos
  • Patent number: 7546345
    Abstract: A network channel is used as a waiting channel, wherein members of a group other than a first member join the waiting channel while performing an action or process, and then leave the waiting channel once the action or process has been performed. Once all of the members have left the waiting channel the first member of the group then performs an action or process. In order to indicate to the first member that all of the other members have left the waiting channel, a protocol such as the Multicast Source Notification of Interest Protocol (MSNIP) may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: British Telecommunications plc
    Inventors: Trevor Burbridge, Andrea Soppera, Robert J Briscoe, Arnaud Jacquet