Abstract: The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user's avatars, motion information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user's avatar.

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user's avatars, motion information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user's avatar.

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user's avatars, motion, information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user's avatar.

Abstract: Processes and apparatus for collection and delivery of voice messages. The process includes identifying information indicative of a calling party attempting to complete a call to a another party and then identifying that a condition other than ring no answer or normal busy exists preventing the calling party from completing a call to the another party. In response to identifying that a condition exists that prevents call completion, the process includes storing a message from the calling party to the another party in a memory, storing the information indicative of the calling party in the memory and attempting to deliver the stored message to the another party at a later time.

Abstract: A method and system for improving the passage of silent or unused status of Ds0 channel to a data switch with a Ds0 switching capacity. The method allows the Ds0 channel source to be the only equipment that must engage a digital signal processor to remove silent and unused Ds0 channels from a Ds0 channel carrying data packet. The method provides for the Ds0 channel source, the intermediate nodes (data switches with Ds0 switching matrixes included) and Ds0 channel destination to recognize a simple and efficient means of passing suppression status of a Ds0 channel through the entire network.

Abstract: System and method for managing networks addressed via common network addresses. The system and method facilitate proper routing and processing of network packets within a network data processing environment. The system and method include and involve a router that has an interface for communicating a network packet. The network packet includes a network address. The interface has a unique interface identifier relative to the router. The router is configured to map the network address and the unique interface identifier to a unique network address and to replace the network address in the network packet with the unique network address. The system and method also include and involve a management system that is coupled to the router. The management system is configured to receive the network packet from the router, to map the unique network address in the network packet to a customer and/or usage identifier, and to process the network packet and data contained therein based on the customer/usage identifier.

Abstract: A real-time device data management (RTNDD) system for managing access to data describing devices in a telecommunications network. The RTNDD system maintains a partition data structure for each device. The partition data structure has a header section and a port data section. The header section contains data elements describing the device (e.g., number of ports and device type). The port data section has a port data structure for each port of the device that contains data elements describing the port (e.g., current cross-connect and actual port address for device). The RTNDD system also provides a standard interface through which external systems access the device data. The standard interface has functions for reading and writing to the partition data structures. Each read function reads multiple data elements of a header section or a port data structure at a time, and each write function writes a single data element of a device at a time.

Abstract: A method of optimizing a telecommunications network in terms of transmission and equipment cost by multiplexing lower bandwidth level telecommunications demand-routes to form higher bandwidth level bundles, by determining, for each demand-route, whether the demand-route includes a patching subroute. For each patching subroute, the method finds a best bundle of demand-routes that includes the patching subroute. The best bundle is the one that has the highest cost gradient between the sum of the costs associated with the demand-routes included in the best bundle and the total cost associated with the best bundle. The method then multiplexes the demand-routes according to the best bundles.

Abstract: A personal infrared beacon unit capable of being worn as an adornment of clothing, incorporated into a part of a person's attire, or embodied within a personal pager, a cellular phone or a 2-way data device. The beacon unit may be in communication with an established network and may be activated externally by a locator signal, or internally by activation of an emergency button. Upon activation, the beacon unit emits coded timed infrared bursts in coherent beams, and when the beams are detected, they may be decoded visually or with a decoding device to provide the identity and location of the user.