Abstract: Global motion between frames of a motion-compensated inter-frame encoded video sequence is estimated directly from the motion vectors encoded within the frames. For any particular frame, the motion vectors are first decoded, and a finite number of sets of vectors are selected. An affine or other geometrical transform is then used to generate a motion estimation for each set, and then the least median squared error present in each motion estimation is calculated for each estimation. The motion estimation with the smallest least median squared error is then selected as being representative of the global motion in the image of the frame. A panoramic image generating method and system makes uses of the global motion estimations thus obtained.

Abstract: A mobile communications handset (12) is capable of connection through two different networks (2, 27). When it is out of contact with its preferred local wireless access system (27), the handset will seek a hand-over to the cellular network (2), and will become registered as a “roaming” handset currently connected to the cellular network (2). The cellular network (2) reports this location information to the call server (28), as it would to the HLR of any normal visiting handset, so that incoming calls to the PSTN (6) destined for the user (12) can be routed by way of the cellular network. Outgoing calls are handled as conventional cellular telephony calls. When contact with a local wireless access system (27) is re-established, the contact information is passed to the call server 28, which reports to the cellular network (2) that a handover has occurred.

Abstract: This invention relates to assignment of mobile clients (such as mobile telephones or software agents) to mainly stationary servers (such as mobile network base stations or computer servers) with the objective of reducing or minimizing the number of active servers. Once the number of users of a server drops below a specified level, the server may be deactivated resulting in power and efficiency savings. Preferably the method of the invention operates dynamically and during run time. In certain embodiments, the method can accept trade-offs in the quality of service or the number of active servers. In an embodiment of the invention, servers are arranged to “compete” with adjacent servers for their clients. This competition may be in a self-amplifying manner such that with the effect that more “popular” servers are more likely to succeed thus resulting in servers which are below a utilization threshold and can therefore be switched off.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and devices for entropy-based location fingerprinting, in particular for use over wireless local-area networks (WLANs). The invention has particular application in localization for indoor environments. In embodiments of the invention, an entropy-based fingerprint is determined at a number of predetermined locations within the desired area of localization during an off-line phase and subsequently used in an on-line mode to determine the location of a receiver. In particular embodiments, the fingerprint is a vector of entropy estimates of the channel transfer function (CTF) between a mobile terminal and all access points within coverage. The invention seeks to provide a fingerprinting localization solution that has a simplicity of structure, leading to advantages in storage and pattern recognition requirements, and robustness by proving a unique measure of information that is related to the channel experienced at the location of the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A determination as to whether to store a data item at a computer connected to a distributed storage network of computers is made in dependence on a policy document associated with that data item. The policy document is constructed in accordance with a Document Type Definition expressed in extensible Markup Language (XML). This provides a more flexible method of system managed storage.

Abstract: A management device is used in an access network including a plurality of data connections between end user devices and an aggregation transceiver device where the connections are aggregated for onward connection through the access network. The access network stores a plurality of different profiles, each of which specifies a set of values for a plurality of parameters associated with each data connection. The device applies one of the stored profiles to each connection, and receives a notification in the event of one of a predetermined set of notifiable events occurring on the connection. It is determined if more than a predetermined number of notifications are received within a predetermined period for a respective connection and, in the event of such a determination being made, a different one of the profiles is caused to be applied to the connection.

Abstract: A number of data relay devices, e.g. mobile telephones, (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80), are conveyed by vehicles and move relative to each other. They form a vehicular ad hoc wireless network (19, 29, 39, 49), etc in which data stored by a device (20) (either own-generated or relayed from another device (10) is transmitted either directly or by means of one or more other devices (30) to a network access point (90) which interfaces with a cellular network. When two devices (20, 30) come into proximity to each other, they use an opportunistic routing algorithm to determine a forwarding direction for the data. A retransmit timer is triggered on transmission of data, and messages which are unacknowledged at the expiry of the timer period are retransmitted. The timer period dynamically follows local congestion conditions and is recalculated at each transmission by the expression, timer minimum period/recent forwarding success(t).

Abstract: A video signal is coded by generating, at a transmitter, a difference signal (at 2) representing the differences between a picture to be transmitted and a predicted picture based on a stored locally decoded picture. This is decoded to generate a fresh locally decoded picture. The transmitter also generates a check signal, such as a CRC, as a function of the locally decoded picture. The receiver decodes the difference signal to create a decoded picture. It compares the decoded picture with the check signal, and generates an error signal if the two do not tally.

Abstract: A service platform in a communications network connects callers to a service resource platform when implementing services requiring specialised resources. A number of different services use a common service resource platform. The service platform is programmed with respective maximum values for the number of calls originating from each service that may be connected to the service resource platform at one time and allows the call to be connected to the service resource platform at one time and allows the call to be connected to the service resource platform only when the count value for the respective service is less than the maximum count value. The service resource platform may have a single network address and a common range of ports that are freely allocated to calls generated by the different services running on the service platform.

Abstract: A method of authentication in a communications network, said communications network comprising a network authentication server, a local authentication entity and a user terminal, said local authentication entity comprising a subscriber application and an authentication application, said method comprising the steps of: sending a request from the local authentication entity to the network authentication server to authenticate the user terminal, said request comprising the identity of the user terminal; generating by the network authentication entity an authentication key in response to the request and generating by the subscriber application an identical authentication key; sending the authentication key generated by the network authentication server securely to the user terminal identified by said identity, then storing the authentication key at the user terminal; sending the authentication key generated by the subscriber application securely to the authentication application, then storing the authentication k

Abstract: Patterns of change in system operating parameters are identified which may be used to identify unexpected operational conditions and to trigger an appropriate alert or action. A network is controlled using operating data for the network. Network operating data is received and divided into sequential time periods. A structural description such as an association rule is determined for the received data in each time period and a change pattern in the determined structural description is identified over the time periods. The network is then controlled using a predetermined action corresponding to a predetermined structural description change pattern in response to the identified structural description change pattern matching the predetermined structural description change pattern.

Abstract: Data networks and nodes making up parts of data networks are arranged to derive information relating to the characterization of paths taken by data travelling between nodes in the networks. Path characterization information is fed back from a receiver of data to a provider of data, and informs nodes subsequently forwarding data of characteristics of the downstream path. Also described are routing and related controlling nodes and methods for using such path characterization information to make informed routing and other decisions when forwarding data in a data network.

Abstract: A data streaming system and method typically use a server arranged to stream one of a plurality of encoded data streams to a client. Each of the plurality of data streams may be an independent representation of a common data source encoded at a different resolution to the other of the plurality of data streams. The server can include a transmitter and a first buffer. The transmitter can be arranged to transmit data packets of the encoded data stream to the client via the first buffer. The transmitter can be arranged to monitor the content of the first buffer and switch to transmit another of the plurality of data streams in the event that predetermined criteria are detected from the first buffer.

Abstract: A method of call control in which a first communications network, detecting calls directed to a destination in the first network; redirects at least some of the calls to a destination in a second network (e.g. on no answer from the destination in the first network). The first network then operates in two phases. In a first phase, for a group of calls redirected to the second network, the time delay before the call is answered in the second network is recorded. When a number of time delays have been recorded, a delay period is set to a value less than the maximum value of the recorded time delays. In a second phase, for a second group of calls redirected to the second network subsequent to the calls of the first group, when a call of the second group is not answered in the second network within the delay period, the call is redirected to a message service associated with the first network.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of synchronising the frequency of a slave clock to that of a master, preferably using a packet network.

Abstract: A system is provided for monitoring the performance of a service within a business process environment is provided, the system including, locally to said service and preferably for each service: an information collector collecting information about the performance of said service in real-time; a database storing information about the performance of said service over time; and a control unit processing the information collected by said information collector and determining information to be stored in said database. A method of distributed monitoring of the performance of services within a business process environment is also provided.

Abstract: A method and system of scheduling demands on a system having a plurality of resources are provided. The method includes the steps of, on receipt of a new demand for resources: determining the total resources required to complete said demand and a deadline for the completion of that demand; determining a plurality of alternative resource allocations which will allow completion of the demand before the deadline; for each of said alternative resource allocations, determining whether, based on allocations of resources to existing demands, said alternative resource allocation will result in a utilization of resources which is closer to an optimum utilization of said resources; and selecting, based on said determination, one of said alternative resource allocations to complete said demand so as to optimise utilisation of resources of the system.

Abstract: A video stream is digitally encoded such that the rate at which individual segments of data are encoded varies according to the amount of data required to generate each segment. Frames are selectively omitted from transmission (32) such that the cumulative frame rate does not fall below a predetermined value. This process can be used to ensure that the next frame to be displayed is always available in the buffer store 6 associated with the decoder (2). The decoder (2) is arranged to identify where frames have been omitted from the decoded transmission, and to perform a resynchronisation (7) on the decoded stream by comparison between time stamps in the video stream and a corresponding audio stream. Resynchronisation may be performed by extending the durations of individual frames, or by repeating frames.

Abstract: Video data defining a series of images is processed to define a first series of nodes in a first multidimensional space, each of the first series of nodes corresponding to an image of the series of images and its location in the first space defined in dependence on features of the respective image. A transformation function maps each of the nodes in the first multidimensional space onto a respective node in a second lower dimensionality multidimensional space while maintaining neighborhood relationships between nodes. A second series of nodes in the second multidimensional space is defined in accordance with the transformation function and a clustering analysis is performed in dependence on the nodes of the second multidimensional space.

Abstract: A method relates to side-loading content onto a mobile device, preferably using a WiFi connection, from a network content store and storing it on the device for viewing later. The method automatically determines when to delete stored content, and more importantly, what content should be transferred over the network in the first instance. The system comprises a content manager which takes into account various parameters to determine what should be transferred and, if required, what should be deleted from the device. The parameters used include user profiles, size of a potential download, as well as available storage space on the device and the predicted duration the device will be in range of a wireless hotspot or broadcast network.