Abstract: A method and system of preventing SPAM over Internet telephony (SPIT) is provided, including the establishment of calling rate limits for VoIP Challenge for callers, and SPIT ratings included with call initiation manual input messages to warn the callee if the call is at high risk of being SPIT. The calling rate limits are adjustable based on the reputation of the caller and events which may occur that are indicative of SPIT. Furthermore, methods for parental control over call end-points are provided.

Abstract: Currently data transmission over the Internet between two client computers where both client computers are protected by firewalls is problematic, since firewalls block incoming packets. A method is provided for permitting packet based data transmission between a first client computer C1 protected by a first NAPT or NAT firewall and a second client computer C2 protected by a second NAPT or NAT firewall to traverse the first and the second firewalls. The method can also be applied to other devices, such as routers, using NAT or NAPT.

Abstract: A method and system for providing location information is provided wherein the sender of a message sends a location ID with the message, after obtaining the location ID from a location server. The location ID includes the location information relating to the sender and the sender's IP address. On receipt of the location ID, the message recipient sends it to a location server, which responds with the location information relating to the sender.

Abstract: A method of encoding an input video signal for communication over a computer network, the method comprising the steps of: i) applying a three-dimensional wavelet-based temporal and spatial decomposition to produce a plurality of spatio-temporal subbands; ii) quantizing the coefficients of the spatio-temporal subbands with a uniform scalar quantizer to produce a significance map; and iii) run-length and adaptive arithmetic coding of the signal by encoding the significance map, encoding the signs of all significant coefficients, and encoding the magnitudes of significant coefficients, in bit-plane order starting with the most significant bit-plane.

Abstract: The present invention provides a window-based method for controlling the rate of data transmission for computer software applications transmitting data using packet switched protocols. The method is suitable for real-time applications, such as Internet video conferencing, which require low transmission latency, and which can tolerate some level of packet loss.