Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for delivering messages that utilizes a message queue and a router/filter within a private data network. The private network is connected to an external data network such as the Internet, and has separate outbound resource servers to provide a high degree of scalability for handling a variety of message types.

Abstract: Described is a speech-to-text conversion system and method that provides secure, real-time and high-accuracy conversion of general-quality speech into text. The system is designed to interface with external devices and services, providing a simple and convenient manner to transcribe audio that may be stored elsewhere such as a wireless phone's voice mail, or occurring between two or more parties such as a conference call. The first step in the system's process ensures secure and private transcription by separating an audio stream into many audio shreds, each of which has duration of only a few seconds and cannot reveal the context of the conversation. A workforce of geographically distributed transcription agents who transcribe the audio shreds is able to generate transcription in real time, with many agents working in parallel on a single conversation. No one agent (or group of agents) receives a sufficient number of audio shreds to reconstruct the context of any conversation.

Abstract: A method or system for synchronizing e-mail messages for a user, particularly for POP3 protocols. E-mail messages addressed to the user are received at an e-mail control at a local server, from an external e-mail server. The e-mail control stores each e-mail message in a consolidated e-mail storage at the local server. The e-mail control stores a message identifier for each e-mail message, in a message identifier storage at the local server. It is determined whether an e-mail message in the consolidated e-mail storage has been deleted from the external e-mail server, and if so, then the e-mail message is deleted from the consolidated e-mail storage. The invention provides for forward and/or reverse synchronization of e-mail messages. Optionally, the step of determining includes comparing message identifiers in the message identifier storage to message identifiers in e-mail received from the external e-mail server.

Abstract: The system is designed to interface with external devices and services, to transcribe audio that may be stored elsewhere such as a wireless phone'voice mail, or occurring between two or more parties such as a conference call. An audio stream is separated into many audio shreds, each of which has duration of only a few seconds and cannot reveal the context of the conversation. A workforce of geographically distributed transcription agents who transcribe the audio shreds is able to generate transcription in real time, with many agents working in parallel on a single conversation. No one agent (or group of agents) receives a sufficient number of audio shreds to reconstruct the context of any conversation. The use of human transcribers allows the system to overcome limitations typical of computer-based speech recognition and permits accurate transcription of general-quality speech even in acoustically hostile environments.

Abstract: A method or system for synchronizing e-mail messages for a user, particularly for POP3 protocols. E-mail messages addressed to the user are received at an e-mail control at a local server, from an external e-mail server. The e-mail control stores each e-mail message in a consolidated e-mail storage at the local server. The e-mail control stores a message identifier for each e-mail message, in a message identifier storage at the local server. It is determined whether an e-mail message in the consolidated e-mail storage has been deleted from the external e-mail server, and if so, then the e-mail message is deleted from the consolidated e-mail storage. The invention provides for forward and/or reverse synchronization of e-mail messages. Optionally, the step of determining includes comparing message identifiers in the message identifier storage to message identifiers in e-mail received from the external e-mail server.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide for a server system that is programmed to receive a message addressed to an Internet user, provide a secure mailbox for the Internet user and store the message in a storage area associated with the secure mailbox. The secure mailbox and the message contained therein are accessible to the Internet user through a browser interface, via the Internet.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide for receiving a message addressed to an intended recipient, in a first file format. The message is converted from the first file format to a second file format, wherein the second file format comprises a mark-up language file format.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide for receiving one or more user-selected preferences at a network server from a user's client device and creating a mark-up language file that is customized according to the user-selected preferences. The mark-up language file is transmitted from the network server to the user's client device via a packet switched network using an Internet protocol.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for storing a mark-up language file and delivering the file from a network server to a user's computer via a packet switched data network using a hyper-text transfer protocol (HTTP). The mark-up language file is stored in a storage area accessible by the network server, wherein the file contains information personal to the user. A notification is transmitted to the user's computer, wherein the notification serves to notify the user of the availability of the file. In response to a user request made in response to the notification, the mark-up language file is transmitted from the network server to the user's computer, via the packet switched data network, using the HTTP.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for receiving and storing a message addressed to an intended recipient and for delivering the message to a client computer that has a graphical user interface. The received message is stored in a restricted-access message storage area associated with the intended recipient. A hyper-text transfer protocol daemon receives requests to access the storage area and the message, and transmits at least part of the message to the client computer.

Abstract: Systems and methods of storing a message directed to a user and delivering the message from a network server to a user's client device provide for receiving the message and storing the message to an access-restricted user-specific message storage area. When an access request from an application program executing on the user's client device is received via a packet switched network in accordance with an Internet protocol, a determination is made whether to grant or deny the access request. If the request is granted, a link is provided to the user, wherein selection of the link causes the message to be transmitted to the application program via the packet switched network in accordance with the Internet protocol.

Abstract: A method or system for synchronizing e-mail messages for a user, particularly for POP3 protocols. E-mail messages addressed to the user are received at an e-mail control at a local server, from an external e-mail server. The e-mail control stores each e-mail message in a consolidated e-mail storage at the local server. The e-mail control stores a message identifier for each e-mail message, in a message identifier storage at the local server. It is determined whether an e-mail message in the consolidated e-mail storage has been deleted from the external e-mail server, and if so, then the e-mail message is deleted from the consolidated e-mail storage. The invention provides for forward and/or reverse synchronization of e-mail messages. Optionally, the step of determining includes comparing message identifiers in the message identifier storage to message identifiers in e-mail received from the external e-mail server.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for delivering messages that utilizes a message queue and a router/filter within a private data network. The private network is connected to an external data network such as the Internet, and has separate outbound resource servers to provide a high degree of scalability for handling a variety of message types.

Abstract: A system controlling use of a communication channel in a communication network. The system comprising a network including service nodes. The service nodes comprising one or more sets having one or more nodes adapted to provide service functions in response to messages in the network. At least one of the sets comprising a member node having an interface for communication with a remote terminal, and a user interface process coupled with the interface to include a user of the remote terminal in the network. At least one of the sets comprising a member node having an interface to the communication network, and a process coupled to the interface to control establishment of the communication channel for the user.

Abstract: A Message Storage and Deliver System (MSDS) is connected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and receives incoming calls with these calls being facsimile, voice, or data transmissions. The MSDS detects the type of call and stores the message signal in a database. The MSDS is also connected to the Internet and has a hyper-text transfer protocol deamon (HTTPD) for receiving requests from users. The HTTPD forwards requests for certain files or messages to a network server which transmits at least part of the message to the HTTPD and then to the user. In addition to requests for certain documents, the HTTPD may also receive a request in the form of a search query. The search query is forwarded from the HTTPD to an application program for conducting the search of the database. The results of the search are forwarded through the HTTPD to the user. The user may then select one or more files or messages from the search results and may save the search for later reference.

Abstract: A system controlling use of a communication channel in a communication network. The system comprising a network including service nodes. The service nodes comprising one or more sets having one or more nodes adapted to provide service functions in response to messages in the network. At least one of the sets comprising a member node having an interface for communication with a remote terminal, and a user interface process coupled with the interface to include a user of the remote terminal in the network. At least one of the sets comprising a member node having an interface to the communication network, and a process coupled to the interface to control establishment of the communication channel for the user.

Abstract: A system for supporting a message delivery service, a method for supporting such a service and a machine accessible medium containing program data for implementing such a system. A number of processing servers are coupled to communicate with a number of outbound resources and a database server over an internal packet-switched data network. The database server contains account information on customers of the service. Request messages received from a customer over an external packet-switched data network are stored in a queue of a processing server. A router filter obtains a request message from the queue and validates a customer associated with the request message, after accessing the database server. A determination is made as to which of the multiple outbound resources to assign the request message. Each of these resources is capable of converting an input request message into a format capable of being received by a fax machine over a telephone network.