Abstract: A method of monitoring performance of an optical communications system measures (i) sub-carrier signal-to-noise ratio, (ii) optical signal signal-to-noise ratio, and (iii) measuring optical signal bit error rate, and diagnoses a system component failure based upon measured sub-carrier signal-to-noise ratio, optical signal signal-to-noise ratio, and optical signal bit error rate.

Abstract: A configurable and scalable rules-based thresholding system, method and computer program product for processing event records includes a core infrastructure and a configurable domain-specific implementation. The core infrastructure is generically employed regardless of the actual type of network being monitored. The domain-specific implementation is provided with user specific data and rules. The core infrastructure includes an event record enhancer which enhances events with additional data and a threshold detector which determines whether an enhanced event record, alone or in light of prior event records, exceeds one or more thresholds. The enhancer can access external databases for additional information related to an event record. In one embodiment, the enhancer generates feature vectors to represent enhanced event records. The threshold detector receives enhanced event records from the event record enhancer.

Abstract: A programmable gateway for processing protocol conversion for a virtual bearer channel platform. The platform includes a plurality of transaction processing units (TPUs). Each TPU processes service requests transmitted by a caller or transmits service requests to a destination called party. The platform has a distribution network that interfaces with the TPUs and acts as a shared bus between the TPUs. The platform receives and transmits communications with a communications network over bearer channels of a high bandwidth pipe. A cross-connecting controller multiplexes the signals coming into the platform over the bearer channels onto the distribution network, and also demultiplexes signals going out over the bearer channels from the distribution network. A resource manager provides a centralized control for the allocation of bandwidth to the transaction processing units.

Abstract: A method of and system for processing calls from a first country having a first national language to a second country receives a request to complete a call from the first country and determines if the call cannot be completed as dialed. If the method determines that the call cannot be completed as dialed, the method forwards the call to an operator who can speak the first national language for assistance.

Abstract: A method and system for processing a High level Data Link Control (HDLC) message despite the occurrence of a frame slip event in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) receiver avoiding re-transmission of an HDLC message when a frame slip event occurs during reception of an HDLC message. In one embodiment, an ATM receiver receives an ATM cell, where the ATM cell carries one or more T1 payloads. Each T1 payload contains a plurality of timeslots, including an HDLC timeslot. The HDLC timeslot is read for each T1 payload prior to unloading each T1 payload from the ATM cell. The plurality of timeslots within each T1 payload are sent to a switch matrix, where the timeslots are de-multiplexed. The HDLC message is carried in the HDLC timeslot over a plurality of ATM cells and the HDLC message is processed despite the occurrence of a frame slip event.

Abstract: The present invention performs automated testing on service applications using automatically generated logs, so that new testing applications do not need to be created for each new release of a service application. The invention further provides for testing of all aspects of the service application by accounting for all data and processes performed, and does so without interfering with the processing of the service application. An Automated Regression Tester (ART) captures and records data generated by the execution of an initial version of a service application. This data is recorded to a first test log. When a new or ported version of that service application is developed, the first test log is used by the ART to generated output that emulates the operating environment, including caller and user input, of the service application. The processing of the new/ported version of the service application is captured and recorded to a second test log.

Abstract: An application program interface (API) provides an interface for application programs to communicate with a telephony server. The telephony server generates events regarding calling activity within a call center. The API receives these events and forwards them to the application programs. The API may be run on an agent workstation along with application programs. The applications register with the API to identify what types of events are of interest to the application program. The API receives the events from the telephony server and distributes the events according to the registrations.

Abstract: A system software solution for testing various network elements/entities and processes in a telecommunications network is provided. A network under test contains network entities which save data to a common database that is associated with processing particular test cases. A configurable emulator correlates database data from the network under test and compares the received message with anticipated test case results. A disposition of the test case is determined and a response is made by the emulator. Emulator configuration allows defining a network switching elements predictable behavior, with appropriate response messages thereof, based on received messages. Controlling a network switching elements behavior allows testing the behavior of other related network elements.

Abstract: A system and method for providing operator and customer services for automated telecommunications services on an intelligent overlay network (104) is disclosed. Operator and customer services are provided by an intelligent network (102). The intelligent network (102) comprises an automated call distributor (116); an application processor (118); an advanced intelligent network gateway (AIN Gateway) (120); a validation gateway (122); and enhanced operator consoles (126). The AIN Gateway provides the intelligent network with an interface to the intelligent overlay network. This allows components within the intelligent network to communicate with components in the intelligent overlay network, and vice-versa. The validation gateway provides the intelligent network with an interface to credit card validation systems (114), and is used to apply charges to customer credit cards.

Abstract: An automated information technology standards management system for managing information standards that specify the procedures by which data is stored, manipulated, and retrieved within a computer system. The automated information technology standards management system manages information technology standards contained within a standards document stored on a permanent storage device. A download program converts the standards document into a displayable standards document that may be displayed on users' computers, and a dissemination process transmits the displayable standards document to users' computers for display.

Abstract: An Internet phone provides standard voice and Internet audio functions using the familiar Plain Old Telephone System platform. Internet audio connections are initiated using an access button on the base of the telephone. A phone keypad and alphanumeric keyboard provide both DTMF dialing and Internet message handling functions. A speaker is provides or the hand set can be used to send and receive Internet compressed audio messages over the Public Switched Telephone System via the user's Internet access provider. The user selects a recipient from a stored address list or creates a new recipient using the alphanumeric keyboard. Once the call is established, a user at either end speaks directly into the phone receiver wherein his voice signal is digitized into a voice file that is stored and transferred to the user at the other end. The Internet phone an integrated display and display electronics which decode incoming messages.

Abstract: A system and method for placing articles of manufacture or pieces of equipment at a remote site uses a central database and graphical representations. A site hierarchy, comprising a site, a building at the site, and a floor within the building, is created in the central database. The user can then create graphical objects on a floor at a building, which are also represented in the central database as sequences of points. Specifically, graphical objects are created for a floor within a structure, a zone within the floor, a planning unit within the zone, a row segment within the planning unit, and a footprint (where the article or piece of equipment is placed) within the row segment. The central database can also store tabular (non-graphical) data, regarding the physical characteristics of physical objects (such as the actual area of a row), as well as particular information for each footprint (such as an installation date, an activation date, etc.).

Abstract: Communication between telecommunications networks and computer systems used by financial institutions to allow processing customer requests to pay for telecommunication services with credit cards is described. In particular, communication that allows both real-time authorization and settlement of charges needed to bill the customer is explained. In addition, a system and method for protocol conversion between a client server protocol used by telecommunications networks and a packet switching network protocol used by financial institutions is provided. Client server protocols include protocols used by caller interaction processes such as UDP/IP. Packet switching network protocols include protocols used by financial processors such as X.25. The system method of the present invention may be used for communication between other networks and computer systems that use UDP/IP in X.25.

Abstract: A personal authentication system provides at least two levels of security for an authentication process, in addition to numerous other security features. The system operates across many different software and hardware platforms, in a client/server fashion, employing a challenge/response process that does not require users to transmit their passwords across a network. An application running on a client computer is coupled with an application running on a server computer. The client generates a response to a challenge, which is provided by the server. The response is a combined function of the server's challenge, a serial number assigned to the client, and a password provided by the user.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for interactively enhancing and presenting event data includes an enhancing portion and a presentation server. The enhancing portion includes a case enhancer that uses configuration data and an optional rules-based enhancing engine to enhance cases. The case enhancer includes a first informant that retrieves data from external data systems. The presentation server includes a presentation interface which interfaces one or more client workstations with a case data base. The presentation server also includes a second informant which interfaces the presentation interface with external data systems. The presentation server also includes an enforcer which interfaces the presentation interface with external action systems. A multi-level security system controls access to databases, the second informant and to the enforcer. In an exemplary embodiment, the security system includes a core infrastructure and a domain-specific implementation.

Abstract: A bidirectional chromatic dispersion system includes an optical circulator that includes four ports. A first port is coupled to a first optical transmission medium and a third port is coupled to the second optical transmission medium. A first dispersion compensating grating is coupled to a second port, and a second dispersion compensating grating is coupled to a fourth port. The first dispersion compensating grating is operative to reflect wavelengths in a first optical band, and the second dispersion compensating grating is operative to reflect wavelengths in a second optical band. The first dispersion compensating grating is substantially transparent to wavelengths in the second optical band, and the second dispersion compensating grating is substantially transparent to wavelengths in the first optical band. The first dispersion compensating grating is coupled to the second port of the optical circulator through the second dispersion compensating grating and a dispersion compensating fiber.

Abstract: A call processing platform provides the intelligence for a caller to choose a preferred dialing plan. In particular, the call processing platform includes the support for multiple dialing plans and holds information regarding which dialing plan is preferred by a caller. When the caller initiates a call, the call processing platform assumes that the caller entered the call in accordance with the preferred dialing plan of the caller. The call processing platform also includes intelligence for translating the call, if needed into a format that complies with a dialing plan for a locale from which the call was initiated. As a result, the call may be completed in the proper format. The translation is transparent to the caller. This enables a caller to use a single dialing plan even when the caller initiates calls outside of the geographical location associated with the calling plan. Hence, it is easier for the caller to place calls from outside of the native country of the caller.

Abstract: A method of optimizing a network includes a plurality of nodes interconnected by high multiplex level links, in which at least some of the links carry a number of low multiplex level remaining demands that is less than the capacity of the links, by rerouting lower multiplex level remaining demands through the network to reduce the total number of higher multiplex level links in the network. The method eliminates from consideration any bridges and spurs in the network, thereby forming one or more connected components of the network. After the spurs and bridges have been eliminated from consideration, the method reroutes remaining low multiplex level demands through each of the remaining connected components of the network to reduce the total number of high multiplex level links in each remaining portion.

Abstract: A system and method for reporting, directly to a customer, conditions of telecommunications services to which the customer subscribes. The system includes a server for collecting fault information from the telecommunications network management system and a customer workstation for viewing the information. The customer can use the workstation to define a view of the data he wishes to receive. The server builds reports using the view, and provides the reports to the customer.

Abstract: A computer security system automatically updates an access status and a level of access privilege for each user based on outside feeds related to current status of the user with respect to an organization, such as a business or school and the membership of the user in a group or department within the organization. A unique user identifier is assigned to each user across all computing systems. The computing system retains the relationship between the user and the user identifier even after the user's access to the computing system is terminated. The user may be reassigned the same user identifier should the user again be granted access to the system resources. The computing security system may be implemented as an overlay to an existing resource allocation system, such as the RACF system commonly found on many mainframe computers and may allow decentralization of certain security functions.