Abstract: Measures for detecting unusual communication session events in a telecommunications network. A Markov model for events occurring in communication sessions conducted in the network is maintained. The maintaining includes assigning a probability of occurrence metric to a plurality of event sequences in the conducted communication sessions. In response to a given sequence of communication session events being assigned a probability of occurrence metric which exceeds a predetermined threshold, an unusual communication session event alert in association with the given sequence is triggered.

Abstract: A method of establishing a communications session for communication of data with respect to at least two user devices in a data communications network. Call party details of a telephone call are received. The telephone call involves at least a first telephony user device and a second telephony user device. The call party details include a first identity associated with the first telephony user device and a second identity associated with the second telephony user device. At least one of the first and second identities comprises a telephone dialing number. A separate communications session is established on the basis of the first and second identities received in the call party details. The communications session is separate from the telephone call, for the communication of data to and/or from the at least two user devices.

Abstract: Measures for the communication of data with respect to at least two different user devices in a data communications network. Establishing a communications session for the communication of data to and/or from the at least two different user devices, receiving, on the basis of user input at one of the at least two different user devices, an identifier identifying one or more downloadable resources, generating a transmissible identifier based at least in part on the received identifier, the transmissible identifier being operable to initiate the download of the one or more downloadable resources using the transmissible identifier, and to associate a predetermined identity with the download, and enabling the download of the one or more downloadable resources to another of the at least two different user devices using the transmissible identifier.

Abstract: A method of controlling a user device in a telecommunications network having a first part and a second, different part is provided. The method includes, at the user device, receiving a first communication session setup request to set up a given communication session, the first communication session setup request being directed to a first communication interface, receiving a communication notification in relation to the same given communication session, the communication notification being directed to a second communication interface, establishing the given communication session via the first communication interface via the first part of the telecommunications network, and after having established the given communication session via the first communication interface, activating an alert function to alert a user of the user device to the availability of the second communication interface at least on the basis of having received the communication availability notification.

Abstract: A method of establishing a communications session for data with respect to at least two user devices in a packet switched communications network in parallel to a voice session via a circuit switched network. Call party details of a telephony call are received. The telephony call involves at least a first telephony user device and a second telephony user device. The call party details include a first identity associated with the first telephony user device and a second identity associated with the second telephony user device. A separate communications session is established on the basis of the first and second identities received in the call party details and depending on the capabilities of the user devices. The communications session is separate from the telephone call, for the communication of data to and/or from at least two user devices.

Abstract: In a telecommunications network including at least a user device and a network node separated by at least a packet-switched part of the telecommunications network, the user device including a primary jitter buffer having a constant packet play-out rate, the network node including a secondary jitter buffer, incoming packets destined for the user device are received and passed through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device. The departure times of packets passing through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device are monitored. On the basis of the monitoring and one or more known characteristics of the primary jitter buffer, an estimate of a current state of the primary jitter buffer is maintained. Operation of the secondary jitter buffer is dynamically controlled according to the maintained estimate.

Abstract: Processing data in a communications system comprising a plurality of servers is provided. First data received from a communications device is directed to a given server in the plurality of servers. A server identifier identifying the given server is transmitted to the communications device. Subsequent data is received from the communications device. The subsequent data comprises the server identifier and a further parameter. The given server is selected on the basis of at least the server identifier and some of the subsequent data received from the communications device is directed to the given server. In the event of a need to redirect subsequent data to a server other than the given server, a different server is selected on the basis of at least the further parameter and further of the subsequent data received from the communications device is directed to the selected different server.

Abstract: Nodes in a tree data structure are associated with respective node keys. At least some of the nodes are associated with at least one respective node rank. The structure is searched to attempt to identify a preferred prefix-matching node on the basis of attempting to find a prefix-matching node that has a prefix match with a search key and which has a preferred node rank relative to a node rank associated with a node which may have a longer prefix match. If the prefix-matching node is identified, a dependent node rank identifier associated with the prefix-matching node is used to determine that the prefix-matching node has the preferred node rank. The dependent node rank identifier indicates at least a node rank of a node which may have a longer prefix match than the prefix-matching node. The prefix-matching node is selected, if identified, as a preferred prefix-matching node.

Abstract: Call party details of a telephone call involving first and second telephony user devices are received. The call party details include first and second identities associated with the first and second telephony user devices respectively. A client-server connection request is received from, and a client-server connection is established with, one of the user devices. A session for the communication of data to and/or from the user devices is established separately from the telephone call on the basis of the first and second identities. The receipt of pre-configured user data by the one of the user devices is enabled via the client-server connection. The pre-configured user data has been specified by a user of another of the user devices prior to the establishment of the telephone call as data for receipt by other user devices during telephone calls conducted by the user.

Abstract: Measures for processing communication status messages in a telecommunications network which includes a plurality of signaling nodes responsible for processing signaling information in the telecommunications network and a charging node responsible for processing billing information in the telecommunications network. A communication status message is received from a signaling node in the plurality. The received communication status message includes first communication status information. Second communication status information is generated on the basis of at least the first communication status information. One or more communication status messages are transmitted to the charging node. The one or more transmitted communication status messages include the first communication status information and the second communication status information.

Abstract: Measures for processing data in a telecommunications network. At a cache, a subscriber configuration data request requesting subscriber configuration data for a subscriber device is received from a network node in a cluster of network nodes. In response to receipt of the subscriber configuration data request, it is determined that a shared cache store does not contain subscriber configuration data for the subscriber device. In response to the determination, subscriber configuration data for the subscriber device is retrieved from a subscriber configuration network node. The subscriber configuration data for the subscriber device retrieved from the subscriber configuration network node is transmitted to the network node.

Abstract: Measures for processing data in a telecommunications network. At a first network node in a cluster of network nodes, a communication session setup request requesting setup of a communication session with a subscriber device in a plurality of subscriber devices is received. In response to receipt of the communication session setup request, registration data relating to the subscriber device is retrieved from a shared registration data store. The communication session setup request is routed according to the retrieved registration data. The retrieved registration data relating to the subscriber device was previously stored in the shared registration data store by a second network node in the cluster of network nodes in relation to a registration procedure conducted for the subscriber device by the second network node, the second network node being a different network node to the first network node in the cluster of network nodes.

Abstract: Measures for detecting unusual communication session events in a telecommunications network. A Markov model for events occurring in communication sessions conducted in the network is maintained. The maintaining includes assigning a probability of occurrence metric to a plurality of event sequences in the conducted communication sessions. In response to a given sequence of communication session events being assigned a probability of occurrence metric which exceeds a predetermined threshold, an unusual communication session event alert in association with the given sequence is triggered.

Abstract: An apparatus in a LAN has first and second hardware interfaces to connect to the LAN. First and second monitoring request messages are transmitted to one or more devices in a first VLAN and one or more devices in a second VLAN respectively, via both the first and second hardware interfaces. The monitoring request messages use the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) or the Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NDP). First and second monitoring response messages are received via the first and/or second hardware interfaces in response to the first and second monitoring request messages respectively. A selection is made between the first and second hardware interfaces for performing data communication, based on the first and second monitoring response messages. The selection is performed independently for data communication via the first and second VLANs based on at least one characteristic of the first and second monitoring response messages respectively.

Abstract: Processing an incoming request message and transmitting outgoing request messages to telephony devices located in various different geographic regions of a telephony system are provided. The telephony devices include at least one group of potential recipient telephony devices. A group of potential recipient devices include mobile telephony devices that can move between the various different geographic regions. An incoming request message comprising a telephony party identifier is received. The telephony party identifier is recognized as a telephony party identifier to be subject to location-based processing. A subgroup, including a plurality of potential recipient telephony devices currently within one or more target geographic regions associated with the recognized telephony party identifier, of the group of potential recipient telephony devices is determined.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for controlling the delivery of media data to a plurality of target devices in a target network is disclosed. The system, method, and apparatus allows for control of the delivery of media data from a source device to a plurality of target devices in a target network to be carried out remotely to the target network, but without the need for media data to pass out from or back into the target network via the access network.

Abstract: Methods of operating an SIP load balancer, one or more SIP server nodes and/or one or more SIP server instances are provided that efficiently manage a processing load. Configurations for an SIP load balancer, one or more SIP server nodes and/or one or more SIP server instances to enable efficient management of a processing load are also described. In certain ones of these, state data for a set of SIP processes may be sent from a SIP server instance and used by a SIP load balancer to remove inactive SIP processes from a data structure. The management of a processing load comprising a number of SIP processes following the failure of a SIP server node and/or a SIP server instance is also provided.

Abstract: At least some incoming traffic is distributed into a first set of traffic groups according to a first grouping scheme. Communication activity from a potentially malicious source may be grouped in a given traffic group in which communication activity from an acceptable source is also grouped. Potentially malicious communication activity is detected in the given traffic group. Traffic in the given traffic group is processed using a first traffic processing mode associated with potentially malicious communication activity, in which at least some traffic that is distributed into the given traffic group is discarded. In response to a dynamic trigger the grouping scheme is altered to one or more further grouping schemes in order that the communication activity from the acceptable source is likely to be subsequently grouped into a traffic group which is different to a group into which the communication activity from the potentially malicious source is subsequently grouped.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of data items has an associated update time. Identifying updated data items comprises identifying those data items that have an update time later than a last synchronization time. The data items are updated such that each data item is associated with one of a plurality of update tokens. Each update token is associated with updates performed up to a respective bound period from a time at which the update token is superseded by a successive update token. The update tokens are allocated successively in a monotonic sequence. Data indicating a last synchronization time is received. An update token is identified that is associated with one or more updates performed relative to a point in time related to the last synchronization time by the bound period. Data items having an update time after the last synchronization time are identified on the basis of the identified update token.

Abstract: This invention provides methods and apparatus for providing customized prior-to-answer and in-call media playback telephony services. The services allow for playback of customized media content to calling parties in the form of customized ringback tones, engaged tones, call holding, call transfer tones and other content such as pre-recorded announcements. The media content for playback is stored in equipment associated with subscribers and playback of the media content is originated from the subscriber equipment. The invention allows subscribers to give their telephony services a personal touch as they can choose different items of media content for playback to different calling parties. As the media content is stored on subscriber equipment local to subscribers, no additional network resources such as data storage and data processing facilities are required.