Abstract: In-sequence media packets that arrive at a media server are processed immediately, and a buffer at the media server is checked for packets whose processing was previously deferred due to out-of-sequence arrival. Any in-sequence packets in the buffer are also processed and forwarded immediately after the processing and forwarding of the received in-sequence packet. Processing and forwarding are deferred for out-of-sequence packets, i.e., packets that are higher in the sequence than the next expected packet, by placing the out-of-sequence packets in the buffer. When a packet is placed in the buffer, a timer is initiated for the missing packet(s). If a pre-determined time passes without the receipt of a missing packet, the missing packet is declared lost and the next-in-sequence received packet is processed and forwarded toward the destination.

Abstract: A system and method for providing voice communications over a network, including a media server having a voice rendering platform for supporting voice-based user interactions. The voice rendering platform provides prompting, information collection and validation, and audio recording and transcoding. A separate application server is responsible for performing call control actions. During a user dialog, control is passed to the media server for rendering and receiving data, and passed back to the application server for call control actions. The media server includes a script execution environment for rendering the voice components of the user dialogs. The application server is an execution platform for applications written in a procedural programming language. Voice communications over a network are provided without combining call control and voice rendering functionality into a single, script execution platform.

Abstract: Call progress analysis is performed in a telephone system employing different in-band signaling plans are used. From address information for a call destination in a call initiation message, it is determined which type of in-band signaling plans is utilized by equipment associated with the call destination, for example by examining country codes in a dialed telephone number. Based upon the determined signaling plan type, a corresponding type of call progress analysis resource is selected and allocated for use with the call. The analysis resource may include a digital signal processor (DSP) programmed with an analysis routine tailored to the determined signaling plan. The DSP may be pre-programmed with such a routine or may be loaded at call time with analysis parameters appropriate to the signaling plan. The telephone system may employ a packet network and packet-based telephony transmission, a media gateway controller or a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) proxy server, an a media server.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing data transfer latency and network-induced jitter in computer networks that can handle the transfer of large object data types such as multimedia objects without requiring a large local object store. The system includes a cache memory system coupled between a data consumer and a data provider. The cache memory system includes a jitter buffer and a local object store, each of which is configured to store at least a portion of a requested data object. The cache memory system satisfies the low-latency and low-jitter data feed requirements of the data consumer by delivering initial bytes of the requested data object from the local object store to the data consumer while pre-fetching remaining object data bytes from the data provider using the jitter buffer. The cache memory system then, at least at some times, fetches additional remaining object data bytes from the data provider using the jitter buffer and delivers the additional remaining object data bytes to the data consumer.

Abstract: A system and method for minimizing adverse affects of network transfer latency on packet data transmission that reduces degradation of a perceived quality of the data transmission. The system includes at least one interface device linking a first computer network to a second computer network. The interface device receives at least one group of packets transmitted across the first network in a buffer, performs packet-based media processing on the packets based on a type of information content of the packets, and transmits the processed packets to the second network. While receiving the group of packets, the interface device determines whether any packets are “late”. The interface device waits longer for late packets likely to contain active speech (or active music) than late packets likely to contain silence. Further, the interface device waits a fixed time for late packets containing fax data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing a conference server. A plurality of test tone signals are generated. In one embodiment each test tone signal comprises the sum of at least two distinct frequency signals. Each test tone signal is employed to simulate a participant and the test tone signals are applied to a plurality of inputs of the conference server. At least some of the test tone signals are combined by the conference server to produce a corresponding plurality of test output signals. The test output signals are analyzed to identify whether the proper test tone signals are present within the respective test output signals. The generation of test tone signals and the analysis of the conference server outputs may be automated to facilitate rapid testing of conference server functionality. An indication of the test results are generated.

Abstract: A media server system includes a dispatcher and a set of processors either in the same physical system or in separate physical systems. The dispatcher receives the initial messages of respective session initiation dialogs from sources such as application servers. For each message, the dispatcher selects one of the processors to conduct the session initiation dialog and forwards the message to the selected processor using a port number uniquely associated with the processor and a switch fabric that routes the message to the processor associated with the modified port number. Upon receiving an initial session dialog message from the dispatcher, each processor creates a response message including the processor's port identifier, and sends the response message to the application server that was the source of the initial message. Subsequent messages of the session initiation dialog are sent directly to the selected processor by the application server, bypassing the dispatcher.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing a conference server. A plurality of test tone signals are generated. In one embodiment each test tone signal comprises the sum of at least two distinct frequency signals. Each test tone signal is employed to simulate a participant and the test tone signals are applied to a plurality of inputs of the conference server. At least some of the test tone signals are combined by the conference server to produce a corresponding plurality of test output signals. The test output signals are analyzed to identify whether the proper test tone signals are present within the respective test output signals. The generation of test tone signals and the analysis of the conference server outputs may be automated to facilitate rapid testing of conference server functionality. An indication of the test results are generated.

Abstract: In-sequence media packets that arrive at a media server are processed immediately, and a buffer at the media server is checked for packets whose processing was previously deferred due to out-of-sequence arrival. Any in-sequence packets in the buffer are also processed and forwarded immediately after the processing and forwarding of the received in-sequence packet. Processing and forwarding are deferred for out-of-sequence packets, i.e., packets that are higher in the sequence than the next expected packet, by placing the out-of-sequence packets in the buffer. When a packet is placed in the buffer, a timer is initiated for the missing packet(s). If a pre-determined time passes without the receipt of a missing packet, the missing packet is declared lost and the next-in-sequence received packet is processed and forwarded toward the destination.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing data transfer latency and network-induced jitter in computer networks that can handle the transfer of large object data types such as multimedia objects without requiring a large local object store. The system includes a cache memory system coupled between a data consumer and a data provider. The cache memory system includes a jitter buffer and a local object store, each of which is configured to store at least a portion of a requested data object. The cache memory system satisfies the low-latency and low-jitter data feed requirements of the data consumer by delivering initial bytes of the requested data object from the local object store to the data consumer while pre-fetching remaining object data bytes from the data provider using the jitter buffer. The cache memory system then, at least at some times, fetches additional remaining object data bytes from the data provider using the jitter buffer and delivers the additional remaining object data bytes to the data consumer.

Abstract: A system and method for constructing phrases for delivery by a media server over a network to a client. Upon initiation of a session an initial ordered play list comprising a plurality of identifiers is conveyed to the media server. Each identifier on the ordered play list is associated with an audio prompt file constituting a prerecorded audio message, an audio component file comprising a component of a variable audio message to be conveyed to the client or a identifier list comprising at least one identifier. Each identifier contains information sufficient to fetch the content associated with the respective identifier from another server. The media server utilizes the first identifier on the ordered play list to fetch the content associated with that identifier from a server specified by the identifier and removes the respective identifier from the ordered play list. The media server then determines whether the retrieved content is an audio file.

Abstract: A system and method for minimizing adverse affects of network transfer latency on packet data transmission that reduces degradation of a perceived quality of the data transmission. The system includes at least one interface device linking a first computer network to a second computer network. The interface device receives at least one group of packets transmitted across the first network in a buffer, performs packet-based media processing on the packets based on a type of information content of the packets, and transmits the processed packets to the second network. While receiving the group of packets, the interface device determines whether any packets are “late”. The interface device waits longer for late packets likely to contain active speech (or active music) than late packets likely to contain silence. Further, the interface device waits a fixed time for late packets containing fax data.