Abstract: A method is provided of authorizing a user of a communication system to be added to a group communication event. The method comprises: selecting a group of users of the communication system; initiating from a host node the group communication event with the group of users; responsive to receiving a group communication acceptance from at least a first user in the group, establishing the group communication event with the first user in the group; receiving at the host node a communication set up request from another user of the communication system; analyzing the communication set up request to determine if said communication set up request is associated with said group communication event initiated by the host node; and adding said other user to the group communication event if it is determined that the communication set up request is associated with said group communication event.

Abstract: A node, such as a session node including any network node, located in a first network transmits data to one of a plurality of devices located in a second network. A determination is made that another device connected to the node is located in the second network. The node transmits to the other device located in the second network a message addressed to the one of said plurality of devices via the connection between the node and the other device effective to cause the message to be forwarded from the other device to the one of said plurality of devices via a connection established within the second network.

Abstract: A method, program and apparatus for limiting processing resources incurred due to refreshing a user interface of a first terminal. The method comprises: at a first terminal, receiving a plurality of event indications which indicate respective events, each of the event indications being received at a different time; and based on the event indications, refreshing the user interface of the first terminal to reflect each of the respective events. Refreshing comprises determining a plurality of time periods, and during each of those time periods postponing the user interface from being refreshed to reflect any outstanding ones of the event indications until that time period has elapsed. The time periods are each determined having a length set in dependence on a timing of the receipt of one or more of the event indications, wherein the length of a later time period is set to an increased value relative to an earlier time period in response to the receipt of one or more of said event indications within a time limit.

Abstract: A method of transmitting over a network a signal comprising a plurality of data elements the method comprising; receiving the signal at a terminal; determining a transmission delay of at least one data element; estimating a first component of the transmission delay; determining a second component of the transmission delay by removing the first component of the transmission delay from the transmission delay; and determining a receiver delay to be applied between receiving at the terminal and outputting from the terminal one of said plurality of data elements, in dependence on the second component of the transmission delay.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a narrowband speech signal comprising speech samples in a first range of frequencies. the method comprises: generating from the narrowband speech signal a highband speech signal in a second range of frequencies above the first range of frequencies; determining a pitch of the highband speech signal; using the pitch to generate a pitch-dependent tonality measure from samples of the highband speech signal; and filtering the speech samples using a gain factor derived from the tonality measure and selected to reduce the amplitude of harmonics in the highband speech signal.

Abstract: A signal to be transmitted from a terminal via a channel in a communication network is encoded by receiving the signal at the terminal; determining characteristics of the channel; encoding a first portion of the signal in accordance with a first encoding method to produce a first encoded signal portion; and encoding a second portion of the signal in accordance with a second encoding method to produce a second encoded signal portion. The first portion of the signal is encoded in accordance with the first encoding method depending on the determined characteristics of the channel. The first encoded signal portion and the second encoded signal portion are transmitted via the channel.

Abstract: A method of capturing an image from a video call between a first user and a remote user over a communication network. The method includes receiving video data from the remote user at a client executed at a user terminal of the first user, the video data comprising a sequence of frames; the client capturing a frame of the video data responsive to a command from the first user; the client extracting image data from the frame; the client converting the image data to an image file and embedding a communication identity of the remote user in the image file, wherein the communication identity is suitable for initiating a communication event with the remote user; and storing the image file on a storage means of the user terminal.

Abstract: A method, user device and computer program product for processing audio signals during a communication session between a user device and a remote node. The method comprising: receiving a plurality of audio signals at audio input means at the user device including at least one primary audio signal and unwanted signals; receiving direction of arrival information of the audio signals at a gain control means; providing to the gain control means known direction of arrival information representative of at least some of said unwanted signals; processing the audio signals at the gain control means by applying a level of gain to generate a gain controlled signal for transmission to the remote node, wherein the level of gain applied is dependent on a comparison between the direction of arrival information of the audio signals and the known direction of arrival information.

Abstract: A data store associates a first identity recognizable in a first network with a second identity recognizable in a second network for both a user and a calling entity. Both identities for the calling entity are provided to the receiving device via the second network. A node receives the communication event with the second identity for the calling entity, the communication event being addressed with the second identity of the user. The data store is queried with the second identities of the calling entity and user to determine the first identities of the calling entity and user. The receiving device receives the communication event with the first identity for the calling entity via the first network, the communication event being addressed with the first identity of the user. The receiving device determines the second identity of the calling entity using the first identity of the calling entity.

Abstract: Message delivery systems and methods for delivering messages to a computing system are described. The system uses a message ID structure and a message ID database to allow a user to check whether he or she is recipient of a new message without having to contact the message server that holds messages to be delivered. The resource load related to users checking for messages is therefore left to a separate computing system, allowing the message server to dedicate its resources to the receiving and delivering of messages.

Abstract: A method of processing an audio signal transmitted from a remote transmitter and received at a local receiver of an acoustic system, includes at the receiver receiving with the audio signal an indication of remote transmitter gain, determining an overall system gain of the acoustic system from the remote transmitter gain and a local receiver gain and selectively applying a system gain reduction step to the audio signal if it is determined that the overall system gain exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: A method, program and apparatus for estimating a bandwidth of a channel from a transmitter to a receiver. The method comprises: receiving a packet stream at the receiver from the transmitter; receiving from the transmitter an indication of data transmitted from the transmitter to one or more other recipients than said receiver between packets of said packet stream; and determining at the receiver, using said indication, an estimate of the bandwidth of said channel. The estimate may enable transmission of packets from the transmitter to be controlled.

Abstract: Processing of a signal received at a node in a network is described in which effects on the signal caused by applying an action to a first part of the signal are quantified based on characteristics of the first part of the signal and effects on the signal caused by not applying the action to the first part of the signal are quantified based on characteristics of a second, subsequent part of the signal. The action may then be selectively applied either to the first part of the signal or to the second part of the signal based upon the quantifications. In some embodiments, the action is applied to a portion of the signal for which the effects on at least one measure of the signal quality are less detrimental.

Abstract: A method of encoding one or more parent blocks of values, the number of values being the length of each block, the method comprising for each parent block: (a) determining a first sum of values in the parent block; (b) splitting the parent block into smaller subblocks; (c) for at least one of the subblocks, determining a second sum of the values in the subblock, selecting a likelihood table from the plurality of likelihood tables based on said first sum of values in the parent block and encoding the second sum using the likelihood table; (d) designating each subblock a parent block; (e) carrying out steps (a), (b), (c) and (d) until at least one parent block reaches a predetermined condition.

Abstract: Method and communication system for permitting access to a network by sharing access credentials over the communication system between first and second communication clients executed at respective first and second user terminals of respective first and second users of the communication system. The access credentials are for accessing the network. The method comprises the first communication client causing the access credentials to be stored in a first store of the first user terminal or of the communication system, and the first user authorising the second user to access the access credentials stored in the first store. The second communication client accesses the first store and retrieves the access credentials on the basis of the second user's authorisation to access the access credentials stored in the first store.

Abstract: A method, system and program for routing a data stream amongst a plurality of network nodes including at least a plurality of end-user nodes. The method comprises: establishing a plurality of routes for the stream to a plurality of consuming end-user nodes, including at least one route via one or more relaying nodes; at each of a plurality of optimizing nodes, executing an optimization algorithm to determine a respective routing modification by evaluating a routing criterion with respect to a collection of end-user nodes which share information with the respective optimizing node and determining a change in the routing criterion that would result from one or more potential routing modifications. The different optimizing nodes' collections of end-user nodes are at least partially coincident such that each optimizing node can determine a different routing modification with respect to at least some of the same end-user nodes.

Abstract: A method of transmitting a data stream to end-user nodes of a network, and a corresponding communication system, program, and distribution system for distributing the program. The method comprises: for each of a plurality of possible combinations of routes of the stream to a plurality of consuming end-user nodes, evaluating a utility function for each of the consuming end-user nodes, the utility function being dependent on route and defining a quantitative measure of end-user benefit that would be experienced at the respective end-user node by consumption of the stream; for each of the plurality of possible combinations of routes, determining an overall utility value based on the respective evaluation of the utility functions of each of the plurality of consuming end-user nodes; and selecting a preferred combination of routes for the stream based on the overall utility values of the different possible combinations.

Abstract: A wireless handset for use in a peer-to-peer voice communications system comprising: a display; a keyboard comprising multifunctional keys capable of entering numeric or alphabetic characters depending on a number of key presses, said keyboard being arranged to enter contact information into a user interface displayed on said display, select contacts on the user interface, and initiate a packet data voice call with a contact; a microprocessor arranged to execute embedded client software, wherein the client software is arranged to establish a packet data voice call over the network and encode speech information as individually addressed packets; and a radio communication device arranged to transmit said individually addressed packets as radio signals from said wireless handset to a network.

Abstract: A method of encoding a signal to be transmitted from a terminal via a channel in a communication network includes receiving the signal at the terminal; determining characteristics of the channel; encoding a first portion of the signal in accordance with a first encoding method to produce a first encoded signal portion; and encoding a second portion of the signal in accordance with a second encoding method to produce a second encoded signal portion. The first portion of the signal encoded in accordance with the first encoding method is dependent on the determined characteristics of the channel. The first encoded signal portion and the second encoded signal portion are transmitted via the channel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a message delivery system and methods for delivering messages to a computing system. The system uses a message ID structure and a message ID database to allow a user to check whether he or she is recipient of a new message without having to contact the message server that holds messages to be delivered. The resource load related to users checking for messages is therefore left to a separate computing system, allowing the message server to dedicate its resources to the receiving and delivering of messages.