Abstract: Prepaid services include associating a plurality of users with a prepaid services account. The account is configured to track a prepaid balance associated with the account as well as to allow at least a subset of the plurality of users associated with the account to draw down the prepaid balance at least generally at the same time. Drawing down the prepaid balance includes allocating a portion of the prepaid balance to each respective user, monitoring a provision of service, and repeating, selectively, the allocating and monitoring.

Abstract: A device may include a first network module to capture network data at a first location in a network and a second network module to capture network data at a second location in the network different from the first location in the network. The device may include a control module to receive control commands relating to the first network module and the second network module. The control module may forwarded the control commands to the first network module and the second network module. The control module may receive the captured network data from the first network module and the second network module.

Abstract: Methods and systems for collecting and validating data are provided. Data may be collected from users at a variety of locations with a mobile device. The mobile device may wirelessly transmit the collected data to a central location. The collected data may then be validated at the central location and any resulting error messages may be transmitted to the mobile device while the mobile device remains in close proximity to the user so that the data may be corrected.

Abstract: A data store includes previously collected client data records, each previously collected client data record associated with a respective first network address. A verification module is communicatively coupled to the data store, the module configured to determine that it is a competent verification module and to receive a verification request including user data and a second network address and further configured to respond with an indication of whether the user data corresponds to the previously collected client data record identified by the first network address corresponding to the second network address.

Abstract: An approach is provided for managing a software environment. A system file that includes information of a software environment is built. The system file is validated against one or more rules. A script is output and used to generate standardized configuration information for the software environment.

Abstract: A wireless application server may receive, from a wireless device, information identifying an application residing on a network device in a home network. The wireless application server may further cause a connection to be established to the application and transfer traffic between the application and the wireless device.

Abstract: A method may include receiving, at a first network device, a message from a second network device. The method may include determining whether the message is a test setup message, where the test setup message includes a network address associated with the second network device. A test sequence may be initiated with the second network device based on the network address when it is determined that the message is a test setup message.

Abstract: Prepaid services include offering a plurality of services. An account is configured to track usages of the plurality of services as well as associating a plurality of recurring balances with the account, wherein each balance is associated with a respective service of the plurality of services. It is possible to deduct an amount associated with providing a particular service for a period of time from the recurring balance associated therewith.

Abstract: A watermark is inserted or overwritten into a packetized voice stream in a VoIP environment to characterize the voice data stream for various functions, such as providing certain in-band audible information or markers for detection. A visual type of marker can be inserted to measure delay for various applications, such as the round trip delay associated with providing directory assistance services, including measuring the delay from providing a prompt to a caller to the their response. The visual marker facilitates use of processes to detect measuring points for measuring delays. Audible markers can be used to provide various types of audible signals, including informational tones to agents, as well as announcements to callers.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, via a network, a request to provision and provide a private key, the private key being for use with a public and private key system. The method further includes identifying a requester that has made the request via the network and initiating a secure session with the requester. The method also includes providing the private key using the secure session, and provisioning the private key. A system is provided including a distribution location providing access to a network, a terminal selectively connected to the network via the distribution location. The system further includes a network authority selectively connected to the network and the terminal, and a certificate authority selectively connected to the network. The certificate authority is configured to provide and provision a private key, and the network authority is configured to selectively provide a secure session between the terminal and the certificate authority.

Abstract: An ATM currency cassette includes an RFID tag. The tag includes information about the cassette, such as the cassette serial number and the currency denomination. An ATM includes a tag reader that can interrogate the tag to receive the information. The history of a particular cassette can be tracked via the cassette serial number. Problem cassettes can be identified.

Abstract: Delay is measured associated with the transfer of voice signals involving a telephone connected to a PSTN carrier (e.g., non VoIP based) where the call is terminated by an operator agent using a workstation connected to a VoIP based network. A test tone is provided to the telephone causing a tone to be generated at a headset of the workstation. An oscilloscope measures the delay using an input of a first signal associated with the generation of the test tone at the telephone, and a second signal associated with the generation of the resulting tone at the headset. The tone at the headset can be looped back into the headset microphone, causing a return signal to be generated and measured. Once the overall delay is known, and the delay of certain elements are estimated, the delay associated with other network elements, including the workstation, can be determined.

Abstract: A system and method for soliciting a selection of video content from a user after presenting the user with an interface showing the user the video content currently available for viewing. The system provides the user an option of both viewing the content in its entirety and partially viewing the content. With the partial viewing options the user may select and view a scene or scenes, or may navigate through the content to find the portion or “snippet” of the content they wish to view. The system tracks the length of viewing and the client is charged in accordance with the amount of content viewed.

Abstract: Prepaid services include a multi-user prepaid services account as well as a prepaid balance associated with the account. A plurality of user records associated with the account each includes a quota. A service monitoring component may be configured to repeatedly draw down the prepaid balance by providing one or more allocations of the prepaid balance during a service period to a user associated with a respective user record.

Abstract: A method may include forming a first path from a first node to a second node and transmitting data via the first path. The method also includes measuring a performance parameter associated with transmitting data via the first path and determining whether the measured performance parameter meet a required performance parameter. The method also includes sending a notification to a customer associated with the first path when the measured performance parameter does not meet the required performance parameter, where the notification indicates that the first path is unavailable.

Abstract: Consumers may utilize computing devices to assist in the purchase and/or loyalty process, and in particular, the consumer may utilize a PDA to facilitate the purchase and/or loyalty process. During the purchase and/or loyalty process, the consumer may need to insure that any content downloaded or used in association with the PDA is secure in how it is collected, assembled, and delivered to the PDA device. This system and method secures the data from its source to when it is actually viewed or used by the authorized user. The PDA may have direct access to an Internet web site portal that offers secure personal content from a content provider, such as, for example, an on-line banking or financial institution. Using the web site portal, the content provider may offer personal or confidential data, such as financial information, to PDA users in a secure (e.g., encrypted) environment.

Abstract: Methods relating to prepaid services include determining an unlocked status of an account configured to track usage of prepaid services. The methods further include locking the account for a length of time after the determining step. The methods further include providing, for a service period, a service to a user associated with the account subsequent to the locking step, and continuously extending the locking for an additional length of time throughout the service period.

Abstract: A method may include inputting parameters that characterize an optical network, inputting one or more demands to be routed, selecting routes, wavelengths, and wavelength translation nodes simultaneously for the one or more demands of the optical network based on the parameters, where each demand includes a working path and one or more protect paths, and configuring the optical network based on the selected routes, wavelengths, and wavelength translation nodes associated with the one or more demands.

Abstract: A method may include creating an Extensible Markup Language (XML) instruction file based on screen shots of a host system, providing the XML instruction file to a screen scraper program, executing screen scraping operations based on the XML instruction file, and outputting a user interface file based on the screen scraping operations that corresponds to extracted data output from the host system.

Abstract: Systems and methods may include receiving a device identifier that identifies a first device, the first device being capable of causing display of first content at a first display device, and communicating a synchronization request that includes the device identifier via a network. Systems and methods may further include receiving an event message from the first device via the network, the event message identifying the first content the first device is causing display at the first display device, wherein the event message is useable to synchronize second content a second device causes display at a second display device with the first content the first device is causing display at the first display device.