Abstract: A system and method may provide processing of a communication request for establishing a communication session to communicate signals between an interactive voice response device and a first communication device over a network, identifying a monitoring request requesting monitoring of the communication session, and instructing establishment of a monitoring session for conferencing a second communication device into the communication session to receive the signals communicated between the interactive voice response device and the first communication device at the second communication device.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, from a sender, a contact selection related to a shipping request, identifying package shipping data associated with the selected contact, and providing the shipping request, including the package shipping data, to a shipping provider. The method further includes receiving a package identifier related to the shipping request from the shipping provider and associating the package identifier to a sender identifier related to the sender and a contact identifier related to the selected contact.

Abstract: In one of many possible embodiments, a method includes providing an audio output signal to an output device for broadcast to a user, receiving audio input, the audio input including user voice input provided by the user and audio content broadcast by the output device in response to receiving the audio output signal, applying at least one predetermined calibration setting, and filtering the audio input based on the audio output signal and the predetermined calibration setting. In some examples, the calibration setting may be determined in advance by providing a calibration audio output signal to the output device for broadcast, receiving calibration audio input, the calibration audio input including calibration audio content broadcast by the output device in response to receiving the calibration audio output signal, and determining the calibration setting based on at least one difference between the calibration audio output signal and the calibration audio input.

Abstract: In one of many possible embodiments, a system includes a media content provider subsystem providing media content over a closed media network and a closed media network access device communicatively coupled to the media content provider subsystem by the closed media network. The closed media network access device is configured to receive the media content over the closed media network, provide at least a component of the media content to an output device for presentation to a user, receive audio input including user voice input provided by the user, and utilize the user voice input in at least one of a voice command application and a communication application.

Abstract: Media units are stored in a buffer, wherein an importance rating is assigned to each of the media units. At least some of the media units are selectively flushed from the buffer based on the importance rating.

Abstract: A content processing device is configured to store a parameter indicative of a content preference of a system user, to request and receive data relating to the stored parameter, to receive an incoming video signal, and to provide to a video display at least a portion of the video signal and a data interface including at least a subset of the data.

Abstract: A computing device selectively receives a media stream. A buffer included within the computing device selectively stores frames from the media stream, the buffer being configured to be a certain size. Program instructions within the computing device are for sending an alert message when the alert threshold is reached and for receiving, in response to the alert message, a flush instruction along with recovery information.

Abstract: A DSL network testing tool [110] tests multiple elements 9141, 143] in a DSL circuit. The testing tool may operate in either a single circuit test mode or a batch mode. In batch test mode, the network testing tool receives multiple DSL phone numbers and automatically tests the DSL circuit's elements corresponding to the phone numbers. The test information may be used when troubleshooting of provisioning DSL circuits.

Abstract: In one of many possible embodiments, a system includes a content delivery subsystem providing an enhanced content data stream, which includes media content from a first source and interactive advertising content from a second source. The system further includes a content processing subsystem communicatively coupled to the media content delivery subsystem. The content processing subsystem is configured to receive the enhanced content data stream, provide at least a component of the media content instance for presentation to a user, and provide at least a subset of the interactive advertising content for concurrent presentation of both the component of the media content and the subset of the interactive advertising content to the user.

Abstract: In one of many possible embodiments, a system includes a media content processing subsystem including an output driver configured to provide at least a component of a media content instance to a display for presentation to a user, and a receiver configured to receive an input command initiated by the user during the presentation of the component of the media content instance. The media content processing subsystem is further configured to select a control pane from a group of control panes based on the input command, each of the control panes including a different set of control tools, and provide, in response to the input command, the control pane to the display for concurrent presentation of both the component of the media content instance and the control pane to the user.

Abstract: In one of many possible examples, a system includes a media content processing subsystem configured to successively display a plurality of history tabs configured to graphically represent and facilitate access to a corresponding plurality of hierarchical representations within a browsing thread. The media content processing subsystem is further configured to collapse at least two of the history tabs into an expandable history tab after a pre-determined number of the history tabs are displayed. The expandable history tab is configured to graphically represent and facilitate access to a plurality of the hierarchical representations within the browsing thread.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide a video messaging service for transmitting video messages between network terminals over a network. After a caller's video-messaging terminal receives a notification that a receiver failed to respond to a communication request, the caller's video-messaging terminal may enable the caller to record a video message and store it for viewing on-demand by a receiver's video-messaging terminal. After recording, the caller's video-messaging terminal transmits a stored message notification terminal to a network server which, in turn, transmits a stored message notification, including an identifier of the caller's video-messaging terminal, to the receiver. Based on the identifier, the receiver's video-messaging terminal may request access to the video message from the caller's video-messaging terminal. In response to the request, the caller's video-messaging terminal retrieves the video message from storage and provides it to the receiver's video-messaging terminal over the network.

Abstract: In one of many possible embodiments, a system includes a media content provider and a media content processing subsystem communicatively coupled to the media content provider by a network. The media content processing subsystem is configured to receive a first media content instance from the media content provider, and receive a second media content instance from at least one other media content processing subsystem connected to the network. At least a portion of the second media content instance is received concurrently with the receipt of the first media content instance. In certain embodiments, the media content processing subsystem is configured to receive the second media content instance without using a tuner.

Abstract: In one of many possible embodiments, a system includes a content processing subsystem and a user device communicatively coupled to the content processing subsystem. The content processing subsystem is configured to provide content for experiencing by a user, the content processing subsystem being further configured to modify at least one element of the content based on a positional relationship between the content processing subsystem and the user device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for connecting a call using a name or series of characters are disclosed. A user provides data pertaining to a call from the user to a called party. The data includes name information that corresponds to the called party. A query may be sent to a global name database to search for a telephone number that corresponds to the name information. During the search, a determination may be made as to whether the global name database has multiple telephone numbers that correspond to the name information. When the name information corresponds to multiple telephone numbers, one of the telephone numbers is selected based on preference information associated with the user. Thereafter, the call is routed to a device associated with the selected telephone number.

Abstract: In one of many possible embodiments, a system includes a media content processing subsystem configured to display a scrollable program guide graphical user interface. The graphical user interface is configured to show a multiplicity of blocks of information corresponding to a multiplicity of content carriers. The processing subsystem is further configured to display a magnified area within the program guide graphical user interface. When a block corresponding to a particular content carrier within the multiplicity of content carriers is entered into the magnified area, the processing subsystem is configured to display enhanced information corresponding to one or more media content instances transmitted via the particular content carrier.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for providing aggregated financial services at a plurality of user access points, such as a cellular phone or a television, are provided. Each user access point is capable of communicating with an integrated communications network, through which the aggregated financial services are provided. The aggregated financial services are directed to enabling the user to centrally manage a variety of dispersed financial accounts, including the user's bank accounts, brokerage accounts, credit card accounts, frequent flyer accounts, reward programs, and any other accounts that may impact the user's financial position. Using the aggregated financial services, the user may perform a variety of transactions in and among one or more of the financial accounts without having to separately interacting with each of these accounts.

Abstract: A first request for information that is related to a specified location is received. A first query for advertisements related to the specified location is submitted. A response to the first query that includes one or more advertisements related to the specified location is received. At least one of the one or more advertisements related to the specified location is sent to a client device. A second query for the information based on the first request is submitted. A first search result that is responsive to the second query is received. Information that is related to the location based on the first search result is sent to the client device after sending at least one of the one or more advertisements to the client device.

Abstract: A telephony system (100) includes a user device (110, 130) configured to enable a user of the telephony system (100) to place and receive telephone calls, and a service node (180, 185) configured to communicate with the user device (110, 130) and to thereby provide the user with an automated voice interface to the telephony system (100) upon the user's initiating access to the telephony system (100) via the user device (110, 130). The automated voice interface permits the user to verbally specify a desired objective corresponding to any one of a number of predefined objectives, the predefined objectives including directory assisted call placement and at least one form of information retrieval. Upon receiving the desired objective from the user, the service node (180, 185) acts to implement the desired objective.

Abstract: In one of many possible embodiments, a system includes a requesting media content processing subsystem and a network entity. The requesting media content processing subsystem is configured to transmit to the network entity a request to access a snippet of a media content instance. The network entity is configured to augment the snippet with additional media content and provide a user with access to the augmented snippet via the requesting media content processing subsystem.