Abstract: A telephone with a card reader is disclosed. The telephone includes means for providing a first communication service. The card includes a memory, which stores information, where the telephone reads the information stored in the memory and provides a means for providing a second communication service based on the information. In providing the second communication service, the telephone obtains second communication service information from a datastore, which includes pairs of information and corresponding second communication service information. The telephone may include the datastore. The telephone may alternatively obtain the second communication service information from or a service server in response to a request. Alternatively, the information stored in the memory can be the second communication service information itself.

Abstract: A document controller receives from an access device a web-based document storage request to store an electronic document. The document controller retrieves a storage location attribute associated with the electronic document which includes a location at which the document controller is to reside for the electronic document to be stored. The document controller processes the storage request by comparing its current location with the storage location attribute. In response to a match between the current location and the storage location attribute, the document controller stores the electronic document. In response to no match, the document controller does not store the electronic document. The document controller stores a result of the processing of the storage request in the request record datastore. The document controller receives a report request for results stored in the request record datastore, and in response, generates a report to include the stored result.

Abstract: A document controller receives a document access request from an access device to access an electronic document associated with an access location attribute and a document identity. The access request includes a document identity and a current location at which the access device resides. In processing the access request, the document controller compares the document identities in the access request and associated with the electronic document and compares the current location with the access location attribute. When the document identities and locations match, the document controller sends the electronic document to the access device. Otherwise, the document controller does not send the electronic document. The document controller stores a result of the processing of the access request in a request record datastore. The document controller receives a report request for results stored in the request record datastore, and in response, generates a report that includes the stored result.

Abstract: A method and system for immediate distribution of a purchased consumer video includes an online video portal, which includes a video receiver and a video server. The video receiver connects to the online video merchant over a video distribution network and receives a consumer video from an online video merchant. The consumer video is purchased by a consumer from the online video merchant over a commerce network. The video receiver stores the consumer video in a consumer datastore. The video server connects to a television set of the consumer over a dedicated television channel of a television network. The video server retrieves the stored consumer video from the consumer datastore and sends the consumer video to a television set of the consumer over a dedicated television channel. The consumer video is distributed immediately after the consumer video is received from the online video merchant and stored in the consumer datastore.

Abstract: In the dynamic generation of video, a video service provider receives a video request from a video player over a data network. The video service provider matches the video request with a given video descriptor record of a plurality of video descriptor records. a video media file including a plurality of cue slots is generated according to the given video descriptor record using the video request. A plurality of video clip files in a video clip library is selected for the plurality of cue slots, and the plurality of video clip files are copied to the plurality of cue slots in the video media file. The video service provider then sends the video media file to the video player.

Abstract: A phone stand includes a phone holder for coupling to a phone, where the phone is for conducting a voice session. The phone stand further includes a plurality of directional speakers positioned to project sound to a focused audio area corresponding to a location where a user is expected to be positioned, a plurality of back speakers positioned behind the location where the user is expected to be positioned, and a system controller. The system controller is configured to: receive audio signals, where the audio signals includes audio of the voice session from the phone; separate the audio signals into speech signals and non-speech signals; obtain one or more output mixing attributes; generate mixed signals by combining the speech signals and the non-speech signals according to the one or more output mixing attributes; and send the mixed signals to the plurality of directional speakers.

Abstract: A delivery system delivers an electronic document over a data network, where the delivery system stores a delivery container received from a sender device in a delivery storage. The delivery container includes the electronic document, a recipient identity of a recipient device, and a location. The delivery system matches the recipient identity in the delivery container with a recipient entry in a recipient registry coupled to the delivery system, obtains a current location of the recipient device, and matches the current location of the recipient device with the location included in the delivery container. In response to the matchings, the delivery system sends a notification of an availability of the electronic document to the recipient device over the data network.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for customizing a telephone are disclosed in which preferred communication services are conveniently accessible to a user, in which a telephone is tailored to the specific requirements of a user.

Abstract: Method and system for overlaying videos in a television include: receiving a plurality of video signals directly from a plurality of video sources by the television; receiving and processing a script by the television, the script includes instructions for placing a first picture from a first video signal of the plurality of video signals in a first position at a first depth value on a display coupled to the television, and instructions for placing a second picture from a second video signal of the plurality of video signals in a second position at a second depth value on the display; and simultaneously displaying the first picture and the second picture on the display by the television in an overlayed manner, the first picture being displayed at the first position and at the first depth value, the second picture being displayed at the second position and at the second depth value.

Abstract: A system includes a television set for displaying a video for a viewer. The television set connects to a persona television system over a data network and sends a request for a television show for a persona to the persona television system. A “persona” includes a character representation of a person other than the viewer, an event, or a group. The persona television system selects a television show based on the persona. The persona television system sends to the television set a show description of the television show. The show description includes video source information about video source such that the television set can obtain television show from video source. In this manner, a data network video is automatically selected as a television show based on a persona and provided to the television set, increasing the ease with which the viewer can identify video choices of interest.

Abstract: In a playing of media content among multiple devices, a first device creates a first progress information associated with a media content and the first device. The first progress information includes a current progress in a playing of the media content by the first device. When a second device receives an instruction to play the media content, the second device obtains the first progress information from the first device, creates a second progress information associated with the media content and the second device based on the first progress information, fetches the media content based on the second progress information, and plays the media content using the second progress information. In this manner, a progress in playing the media content is tied to the device playing the media content, and this progress may be shared with another device in the playing of the media content on the other device.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a service session using a call include: initiating a first call between a caller and a callee according to a callee address record; establishing a voice communication session during the call; modifying the caller address record; and initiating a second call between the caller and the callee according to the modified callee address record. A behavior of the second call differs from a behavior of the first call. In one embodiment, the callee address record is modified according to a modification request. In one embodiment, the callee address record includes at least one session initiation entry. The session initiation entry includes a session address attribute with information for establishing the communication session, a session communication method with a protocol used for the communication session, and a session data attribute with data information for sending over the communication session based on the session address attribute.

Abstract: A universal phone number service and method of providing a universal phone number service that allows a user to receive phone calls on any phone service with a single phone number. A telephone is disclosed that is associated with more than one phone number and a universal phone number, wherein any phone call placed to the universal phone number results in the call being completed to the telephone regardless of the service associated with the more than one phone number.

Abstract: In a method for playing a video generated on-demand, a video player sends a video request to a video service provider over a data network. The video player receives a video media file from the video service provider. The video media file includes a plurality of cue slots including a plurality of video clip files. The video player obtains the plurality of video clip files from the plurality of cue slots and plays the plurality of video clip files. Each video clip file may include video data and a description, and the description may include location information and/or licensing information. A given video clip file(s) may include instructions for an animation and/or instructions for displaying video clip file(s) in an overlaid manner. Each of the cue slots may include comprises a start time, where the video clip files are played according to the start times.

Abstract: Provided is a method and system for displaying video streams, including receiving video data from a plurality of video stream by a frame controller in communication with a television display including a first picture and a second picture, and also receiving a television program summary list. The television program summary list includes television program data corresponding to the received video streams, and displaying the television program summary list in the second picture, and allowing the selection of a program from the television program summary list by a consumer, and displaying the selected video stream in the first picture.

Abstract: In electronic document storage control, a document controller receives a document storage request to store an electronic document from an access device. The document controller retrieves the electronic document and a storage location attribute associated with the electronic document. The document controller obtains a current location of the document controller, and compares the current location of the document controller and the storage location attribute associated with the electronic document. In response to a match between the current location and the storage location attribute, the document controller stores the electronic document at the document controller. In response to no match between the current location and the storage location attribute, the document controller does not stores the electronic document.

Abstract: A universal phone number service and method of providing a universal phone number service that allows a user to receive phone calls on any phone service with a single phone number. A telephone is disclosed that is associated with more than one phone number and a universal phone number, wherein any phone call placed to the universal phone number results in the call being completed to the telephone regardless of the service associated with the more than one phone number.

Abstract: In electronic document access control, a document controller receives a document access request from an access device. The request is to access an electronic document previously stored in a datastore coupled to the document controller. The request includes a current location of the access device, and the electronic document is associated with an access location attribute. The document controller compares the current location of the access device with the access location attribute associated with the electronic document. In response to a match between the current location and the access location attribute, the document controller sends the electronic document to the access device. In response to no match between the current location and the access location attribute, the document controller does not send the electronic document to the access device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a Voice Virtual Private Network (Voice VPN) and methods for providing access to remote peer users across same. In one embodiment, voice and communication services of one or more corporate network are provided to remote user terminals across a Voice VPN Gateway. The level and type of access to voice and communication services provided can be determined statically, dynamically, or adaptively based on user data or user habits or history.

Abstract: In providing secure data access, a secure data device receives a data access request to access secured data stored in a storage of the secure data device. A location module of the secure data device calculates a current location of the secure data device. A secure data module of the secure data device compares the current location and a pre-stored location stored in the secure data device. Upon determining that the current location matches the pre-stored location, the secure data module retrieves the secure data from the storage and processes the secure data. The processed secure data is sent as available data in response to the data access request. Upon determining that the current location does not match the pre-stored location, the secure data module retrieves the secure data and processes the secure data in a manner that renders the available data unusable.