Abstract: IP telephony communications are conducted by sending both data produced by a CODEC that represents received spoken audio input, and a textual representation of the spoken audio input. A receiving device utilizes the textual representation of the spoken audio input to help recreate the spoken audio input when a portion of the CODEC data is missing. The textual representation can be generated by a speech-to-text function. Alternatively, the textual representation can be a notation of extracted phonemes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for routing a telecommunication session request are provided herein. In some embodiments, the method may determining a first set of status attributes of a first device, receiving a request from a second device to establish a telecommunication session with the first device, selecting a route to establish the telecommunication session based on the first set of status attributes of the first device, and establishing the telecommunication session using the selected route.

Abstract: Systems and methods performed by an IP telephony system allow a user to request that his IP telephony device be set into a conference calling mode for an indefinite period of time. When the user's IP telephony device is in the conference calling mode, all parties that attempt to call the user's IP telephony device are added to a conference bridge tied to the user's IP telephony device. All incoming calls are treated in this fashion until the user cancels the conference calling mode and returns to a normal calling mode.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining an interval for the transmission of keep alive messages that will prevent a pinhole of a data network interface device from closing are driven by a software client on a computing device. The software client informs a network server of a first time interval, and the server uses the first time interval to send communications to the computing device that trigger the computing device to send keep alive messages to the server. If the first time interval does not result in the pinhole closing, the software client instructs the network server to send messages to the computing device that trigger the computing device to send keep alive messages to the server according to a second, longer time interval. This process repeats until the pinhole ultimately closes, and then the last interval that did not cause the pinhole to close is selected for use.

Abstract: Methods of addressing problems in a voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) telephony system include collecting data on network events, analyzing the data, and taking corrective action when possible. If an IP telephony device is registering with the VOIP telephony system more frequently than necessary, which can indicate the IP telephony device is unnecessarily jumping between proxy services, the IP telephony device is instructed to re-initialize itself. If an IP telephony device sends two successive stay alive registration messages to a proxy server from different ports of a router, which can indicate that a router pinhole is closing between stay alive messages, then the IP telephony device is instructed to send stay alive registration messages more frequently. If data packet statistics indicate that an IP telephony device is experiencing a jitter problem, the IP telephony device is instructed to increase the size of a data buffer for incoming data packets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for user location registration comprising registering subscriber location information associated with a device with a registration service in a first network, receiving, from a second network, a broadcast location request and sending, in response to the broadcast location request, the subscriber location information to the second network.

Abstract: A method and system for simultaneous display of a multimedia background is disclosed. In some embodiments the system and method includes conducting a video call from a first caller on a first terminal to a second caller on a second terminal and substituting a multimedia content for at least a portion of an original background of the first terminal to create a combined multimedia background. The combined multimedia background is transmitted to the second terminal. Moreover, the combined multimedia background includes an image superimposed over the multimedia content. The combined multimedia background is enabled to be interactively controlled by a movement detection device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device that is roaming outside of its native service area make use of a mobile roaming termination service. The mobile roaming termination service causes the native mobile telephony service provider that provides service to the mobile telephony device to forward incoming telephony communications directed the native telephone number of the mobile telephony device to a forwarding access number. The mobile roaming termination service receives telephony communications directed to the forwarding access number, and then terminates the telephony communication to the mobile telephony device via any one of multiple different methods. The mobile telephony service provider can be instructed to implement and cancel call forwarding instructions by dialing a special character string on the mobile telephony device.

Abstract: When a voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) telephone call is being conducted by a mobile telephony device, measurements of at least one condition that exists for the mobile telephone device during the VOIP telephone call are taken during the duration of the telephone call. The measurements could be taken periodically as the VOIP telephone call progresses. The measured condition is one that could affect the perceived quality of the VOIP telephone call. The measurements of the at least one condition are recorded against the telephone call for later use and analysis. The recorded information may be analyzed to determine how to modify a setting of the mobile telephony device to improve the quality of VOIP telephone calls conducted with the mobile telephony device.

Abstract: The present technology is directed to systems and methods for integrating route and rank information into call detail records. The system receives information relating to a communication that is established between a first communication device and a second communication device. The information includes routing information for the established communication that includes at least a route identifier and a rank identifier. The system records the received route identifier and the rank identifier in a call detail record that is generated for the established communication. The route and rank information may be analyzed to for various purposes including troubleshooting and quality improvement.

Abstract: Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device that is roaming outside of its native service area make use of a forwarding termination service. The forwarding termination service causes the native mobile telephony service provider that provides service to the mobile telephony device to forward incoming telephony communications directed the native telephone number of the mobile telephony device to a forwarding access number. The forwarding termination service receives telephony communications directed to the forwarding access number, and then terminates the telephony communication to the mobile telephony device via any one of multiple different methods. The mobile telephony service provider can be instructed to implement and cancel call forwarding instructions by dialing a special character string on the mobile telephony device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for establishing an IP telephone call to a called party's telephony device include attempting to send a call setup request directly to the called party's telephony device, and requesting that a push notification be sent to the called party's telephony device. If the direct request does not reach the called party's telephony device, the push notification will result in the called party's telephony device contacting the IP telephony system to setup the requested call. In some embodiments, the request for a push notification is not sent until the direct request is determined to have failed.

Abstract: A method for minimizing application initialization delay comprising sending, from a privileged application executing on a mobile device, a registration message to a server, receiving, at the privileged application, a response message from the server, extracting, from the response message, application information and notifying the mobile device of the application information.

Abstract: Methods and systems for voice and video messaging are provided here. In some embodiments a method for voice and video messaging may include establishing a telecommunication session with a calling device associated with a first user in response to an indication that a call request from the calling device directed to a called identifier associated with a second user failed, providing to the calling device an option to leave a video message and an option to leave an audio message, receiving a selection from the calling device indicating the selection of the option to leave a video message, disconnecting the established telecommunication session, and receiving a video message from the calling device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing trusted caller identification services between a first entity and a second entity are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for validating an identity of a first entity to the second entity may include registering the first entity with a trust authority, wherein registering the first entity includes authenticating the identity of the first entity, and associating the unique code with a caller ID name (CNAM) of the first entity, receiving an identifier in association with a call request, determining that the identifier is correlated with the unique code, and providing to the second entity the CNAM together with an indication of validity.

Abstract: Method and system for group calling in an IP-based communication system includes receiving an administrator identifier, receiving one or more invitee identifiers, initiating a first connection from a central location and initiating at least one or more second connections from the central location to join an administrator and at least one invitee. The administrator identifier and one or more invitee identifiers can be a telephone number or other identifiers associated with the communication system. To establish the group call, the administrator identifier and one or more invitee identifiers are received from the administrator. The first connection initiation is to the administrator and the second or more connection initiations are to the at least one invitee. System for making a group call includes a user interface adapted for use by the administrator, a database manager, a database, a load balancer and a group calling pool adapted for SIP-based group call setup.

Abstract: An Internet protocol (IP) telephony system terminates calls to certain groups of telephone numbers via multiple different telephony carriers. The IP telephony system will discontinue using a telephony carrier to terminate calls if the quality provided by the carrier falls below a threshold level. The IP telephony system includes a quality monitoring unit that determines when a particular group of telephone numbers are intrinsically impaired, such that no carrier could provide high quality when terminating calls to those numbers. In these circumstances, the IP telephony system adjusts the quality threshold to which a carrier's quality is compared when completing calls to the impaired numbers to account for the intrinsic impairment of the telephone numbers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for configuring communication parameters of a wireless device are provided herein. In some embodiments, the method may establishing a communication connection to a wireless access point, determining one or more security characteristics of the wireless access point, selecting a security policy to apply to the wireless device based on the determined one or more security characteristics of the wireless access point, adjusting one or more communication parameters of the wireless device based on the selected security policy, and communicating with the wireless access point using the adjusted communication parameters.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for routing non-native Short Message Service (SMS) messages to a first device, the first device being assigned a native identifier and being associated with a native telephony service provider, are provided herein. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving an SMS message directed to the native identifier of the first device, determining routing instructions for the SMS message based on the native network identifier associated with the first device, and routing the SMS message to the first device based on the determined routing instructions, wherein the act of routing results in SMS messages directed to the native identifier of the first device being directed to a forwarding identifier assigned to the first device by a first non-native communication service provider.

Abstract: A IP telephony service allows customers to form user groups. Each user group can include multiple members, each of whom have their own telephony device. Each user group is assigned a unique group identifier, which can be a telephone number. As a result, a single telephony device belonging to a member of a user group can be associated with its own unique telephone number, and the telephone number of the user group. This also means that a member's telephony device could be associated with multiple different billing accounts. The system allows a user to select which of multiple different billing accounts that are associated with his telephony device are to be billed for outgoing communications.