Abstract: An error reporting system in a communication system of the type that includes a PBX (10) and a monitoring system (20) that forwards internally detected errors from the PBX to a customer service center (28). A trouble ticket server (30) is coupled via a switch contact (40) to the monitoring system and is programmed to close the switch contact in an event a user reported error message is received. Upon detecting the contact closure, the monitoring system forwards an external alarm message to the customer service center. Alternatively, the trouble ticket server may be connected to the monitoring system via a serial communication link (52) that forwards a description of the user reported error to the monitoring system. The monitoring system may direct the PBX to run one or more diagnostic tests and forward the results of the tests to the customer service center along with the description of the user reported error.

Abstract: A method of transmitting DTMF signals over a compressed computer network comprises sending a packet containing a compressed DTMF signal followed by a confirmation packet. The confirmation packet preferably comprises an uncompressed DTMF signal. To detect the DTMF signal transmitted, a telephony Internet server decompresses packets as they are received. If a packet appears to contain a compressed DTMF signal, the telephony Internet server looks for the presence of the confirmation packet before processing the previously received packet as a DTMF signal. In another embodiment, an output of a speech compressor and a DTMF signal detector are transmitted on separate virtual channels of a real time protocol data stream.

Abstract: A telephony-over-LAN client is provided which disables a screen saver during active calls by generating a software interrupt indicative of either false keyboard interrupts or false mouse movements. The ToL client is configured to periodically activate such an interrupt during an active call immediately prior to the end of the timeout period of the screen saver. Alternatively, or in addition to the above-mentioned false keyboard interrupts or mouse movements, a false write to the hard drive might be provided.

Abstract: An antenna system for a wireless communication system. The system includes an antenna configured to receive and transmit circular polarized transmissions and a drive system. The drive system is operable to produce at least two outputs having generally the same amplitude and an appropriate relative phase difference so as to create a circular polarization transmission from the antenna.

Abstract: A web browser (54) downloads a JAVA applet (84) from a web server (52) that maintains an IP connection between a customer's browser program and a push server. A sales or service representative interacts with a terminal (58) to view web pages on the web server. When the representative desires the customer to receive a desired web page, the representative selects a “follow me” control on the terminal. The follow me control directs the push server to transmit an address of a web page to the applet. The applet in turn forwards the address to the web browser program to download a new web page. The present invention is used to transmit information to a web browser program that may be connected to other web sites.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting delay-sensitive data over a packet-based network involve converting the delay-sensitive data into two versions for transfer through the network with one version of the data being used to supplement the other version of the data in the event that packets are delayed or lost. In a preferred embodiment, real time voice conversation data is compressed using two different compression algorithms, where one version is more highly compressed and of a lower quality than the other. The highly compressed data is sent before corresponding packets from the less compressed data and the highly compressed packets are buffered at the receiving device to be utilized to regenerate any data segments from the less compressed packets that are lost or delayed during transmission. Sending dual versions of the same data allows the lower quality voice segment to be used as a backup in places where the high quality voice segments are lost.

Abstract: A cellular telephone (116) and a pager (118) having a common battery (256) are integrated into a single unit. The unit is maintained in a low-power receive page mode when not in use. An incoming call is processed first as a conventional pager message. The device receives the page and wakes from the low-power page mode. When the device has gone to full-power active mode, a cellular phone call is connected. A smart battery controller (254) for the unit is provided. The smart battery controller (254) monitors the power level left in the battery (256) and stops allowing telephone operations when power reaches a minimum level. For example, the level may be configurable by the user as the number of hours of paging that may be accommodated after cell phone operations are no longer permitted.

Abstract: A communication system for transmitting address changes. A communication system includes a source communication system and one or more destination communication systems, each of which is identified by a unique number or address. A memory in the source communication system maintains a record of each destination communication system that communicates with it. If the number or address of the source communication is changed, the source communication system generates a new number or address message which is transmitted to each of the destination communication systems. The destination communication systems receive the new number or address message and update a memory to reflect the new number or address of the source communication system. Those destination systems that are able to read the new number or address message and update a record of the number or address for the source communication system generate an acknowledge signal which is transmitted to the source communication system.

Abstract: A method for transmitting an alarm over a cordless broadcast system having a base station in communication with a mobile unit and a computer. The computer includes a speech recognition system. The method includes requesting an alarm setting for a specified time with a voice command at the mobile unit and storing the requested alarm setting in the computer. The alarm is broadcast at the specified time to the mobile unit.

Abstract: Endpoints, such as clients and gateways, maintain local codec priority lists (500), receive remote codes priority lists (504), and maintain common communication attribute priority lists (502). When opening a transmittal channel, a local endpoint determines the highest priority codec on its local priority list (500) that is also on the remote priority list (504). The local endpoint also determines the highest priority codec on the remote priority list (504) that is also on the local priority list (500). If the codes types match, then the transmitting channel is opened with that codec. If there is no match, then the common communication attribute priority list (502) is used, and the local or remote codec that has a corresponding highest or lowest desired attribute is used for the communication.

Abstract: A system and method for adaptive packet-length IP telephony includes a first IP telephony communication device located on a data network and enabled to establish an IP telephony connection to a second IP telephony communication device. Optionally, the first communication device is enabled to access network topology information from a server regarding a network segment connecting the first and second communication devices. If the network topology reflects the presence of a low efficiency router on the network segment, the first communication device enters a fixed packet-length operational mode. If the network topology indicates an absence of a low efficiency network router on the segment, the first communication device enters an adaptive packet-length operational mode.

Abstract: An improved mousepad (100) includes a telephone integrated therewith. A keypad (108) for the telephone is disposed beneath a mylar layer (130). The keypad (108) includes a plurality of capacitive switches (108a, 108b) disposed just beneath the mylar layer. In a mousepad mode, a mouse may be moved around the surface of the mylar in the standard fashion. In a telephone mode, the user may activate the keypad (108) by pressing the buttons which are viewable beneath the mylar.

Abstract: An improved prompting system for accessing specified functions. According to one embodiment, a particular user may identify himself to the system and thereafter preprogram one or more paths that lead directly to a desired function within the hierarchical menu prompting system. The next time the user needs to access the system the user can navigate directly to the desired function by pressing a predetermined key or sequence of keys on his or her Touch-Tone dial. Alternatively, the prompting system may present as an option a direct path to the desired function.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for enabling supplementary service functions, such as directed call pickup, to be implemented in a communications network having more than one server. The multi-server call pickup system is adapted to enable a user to pick up another user's call from a selected destination anywhere within the network, including outside the local server in a multi-server network. The directed call pickup system includes a pickup request unit that is used for initiating the call pickup feature from a specified location in the network. A remote determination unit and a local determination unit to determine whether to establish local or remote connections to a call pickup user may also be provided. A call establishing unit with a negotiation process for connection establishment is provided to establish a connection between the call and the call pickup user. A notification unit may be provided to notify the system of the completed connection.

Abstract: A method and system for automated silent call monitoring in an automatic call distributor (ACD) environment includes configuring a set of call performance profiles which include voice data patterns which are descriptive of voice data transmissions during an ACD call and which are associated with substandard agent performance. Each voice data pattern has a corresponding threshold which represents the maximum number of detections tolerated in an ACD call prior to execution of a notification routine. A digital signal processor (DSP) monitors a first call between an agent terminal and a customer terminal for the voice data patterns and stores detection data in memory upon detecting of one of the voice data patterns. A central processor unit (CPU) compares the number of detections of the voice patterns within predetermined time intervals to the threshold numbers of detections represented in the thresholds to determine if any threshold has been exceeded.

Abstract: A system and a method for communicating dialed digits between a communication device and a call processor during call setup include transmitting at least the first digit of a telephone number from the communication device to the call processor within a first data packet. The call processor references a dialing plan to determine if the first data packet provides sufficient digits to complete the requested call. If not, the call processor determines the minimum quantity of digits required under the dialing plan to determine the destination of the call and transmits a protocol command to the communication device to transmit the minimum quantity of digits to the call processor within a subsequent data packet. The call processor continues to reference the dialing plan to determine whether additional digits are required and to request additional packets until sufficient packets have been received to establish the call.

Abstract: A system for updating area code information in predetermined telecommunications devices and networks as newly created area codes are implemented. Area code lists may be updated automatically and without the need for human intervention or manual reprogramming. A message receiving unit monitors the telephone connection and determines whether a “new area code” message is being transmitted by the telephone company central office or carrier. A message decoding unit decodes the transmitted message into a required format for a predetermined device. An update unit enables the area code lists to be automatically updated in the predetermined device if a list comparator determines that the area code does not exist in the lists.

Abstract: A method of introducing a feature during a communication between subscribers of a telecommunications network. The first step of the method is executing, at each predefined trigger point during the communication, an operation to activate a particular requested feature. The method then requires accessing data stored in a network memory for use in the activation operation. The data is arranged in the memory in table and bit map format so as to enable the features to be customized. The method then requires executing the particular requested feature upon activation. The method may also include repeating the method steps for each feature available to be activated at a respective trigger point in an order determined by the stored data. The method is independent of the type of requested feature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for automatic synchronization in multimedia presentations. According to an embodiment of the present invention, when a data stream is compressed, delay which would normally be compressed out is replaced by a delay token which indicates a length of time of the delay. When a data stream is decompressed and presented, the delay tokens may either be used or ignored. In particular, when data streams are presented together in a multimedia presentation the delay tokens may be used to synchronize the various data streams of the multimedia presentation. Otherwise, when data streams are presented alone without the other data streams of a multimedia presentation or are not part of a multimedia presentation, the delay tokens may be ignored. In such cases when the delay token is ignored, any data stream delay is simply skipped since there is no need to synchronize with other data streams.