Abstract: A digital assistant operating on a device is configured to be engaged as an active participant in communications between local and remote parties by listening to voice and video calls and participating in messaging sessions. The digital assistant typically can be initiated by voice using a key word or phrase and then be requested to perform tasks, provide information and services, etc. using voice or gestures. The digital assistant can respond to the request and take appropriate actions. In voice and video calls, the interactions with the digital assistant (i.e., the request, response, and actions) can be heard by both parties to the call as if the digital assistant was a third party on the call. In a messaging session, messages are generated and displayed to each participant so that they can see the interactions with the digital assistant as if it was a participant.

Abstract: A user-programmable portable wireless remote monitoring system includes a base unit a series of sensor units and a remote control device. The base unit is connected to the internet, and receives wireless alerts from sensor arrays deployed in the sensor units. When the sensor units detect a problem, then they send an alert to the base unit, which then relays the alert to the remote control device that is preferably a smart phone, tablet, or the like, including software for operating the system. The system may also incorporate smart outlets that are remotely operable by the remote control device, various monitors, a touchscreen, and wearable tracking devices to monitor a person within the home. The system is designed to provide security, home system monitoring, personal medical monitoring, and remote control of various electrical appliances, as well as providing alerts of problem situations sent to the remote control device.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method can include: establishing a communication session between a device of a first user and devices of at least two remote users, the communication session including at least audio communication between the first user and the at least two remote users; determining, for each of the at least two remote users, a spatial position assigned to the remote user relative to a display viewable by the first user; detecting, by the device of the first user, audio from the first user; determining a gaze direction of the first user; evaluating the gaze direction of the first user with respect to the spatial positions assigned to the at least two remote users; and based on evaluating the gaze direction with respect to the spatial positions assigned to the remote users, transmitting different audio to the devices of the at least two remote users during the communication session.

Abstract: According to at least one embodiment, a computer-implemented method to manage incoming communications is described. An incoming call may be received on a landline. One or more devices may be located within a predetermined area based at least in part on the receipt of the incoming call. The incoming call may be forwarded to the one or more devices based at least in part on the locating.

Abstract: Within a network-based system, an entity may be identified by an identifier of the entity. An audio generation machine may be configured to generate an audio piece that represents the entity, and the audio generation machine may generate the audio piece based on the identifier of the entity. Hence, the audio piece generated by the audio generation machine may be representative of the entity, and playback of the audio piece may identify the entity, reference the entity, highlight the entity, suggest the entity, or otherwise call the entity to mind (e.g., for one or more listeners of the audio piece). Thus, the generated audio piece may function as an audio-based avatar of the entity (e.g., a representative of the entity within a virtual world). Furthermore, the audio piece may be shared (e.g., in a social networking context or a social shopping context).

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining location based on audio fingerprinting are disclosed. An extraction component extracts a set of interest points from an audio signal associated with an audio announcement. Then a matching component determines if the extracted set of interest points matches a set of interest points representative of an audio fingerprint in a data store comprising audio fingerprints. In an aspect, the audio fingerprints in the audio fingerprint data store represent announcements for underground transportation systems. A location component further determines location information associated with the audio fingerprint based in part on the set of extracted interest points matching the set of audio interest points representative of the audio fingerprint in the data store.

Abstract: Embodiments include a system, method, and computer program product for using a biosensor worn by a user to trigger an event and activate a camera worn by the user to begin streaming and/or recording video data. The biosensor trigger also initiates a real time multimedia collaboration session with the user wearing the biosensor and one or more designated parties. Through an interoperability gateway device, a voice communications device of the user is bridged with voice communications devices of the designated parties, and the video data is electronically transmitted to the designated parties. Thus, the designated parties may have real time voice communications among each other and with the user, and the designated parties may also view the video data in real time. Embodiments also determine when an event has ended and deactivates the camera worn by the user.

Abstract: A device and methods are disclosed. A call control module transmits a moving image captured by a photographing module and sound input by a sound input module to a communication partner device via a communication module, when the communication module receives a moving image from the communication partner device by the communication module, displays the received moving image in a display area set on a display surface, when the communication module receives sound from the communication partner device by the communication module, outputs the received sound from the sound output module, and outputs a transmission restraint signal for restraining transmission of a moving image to the communication partner device, when a first determination condition for use in judging that a user is not watching a moving image displayed in the display area is satisfied.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for tracking engagement of participants in a presentation. An example system implementing the method can identify a presenter in a conference and participants in the conference. Then the system can gather, during a presentation by the presenter in the conference, engagement data about the participants. The system can generate or calculate an engagement score based on the engagement data, and present the engagement score to the presenter during the presentation. The system can gather the engagement data from participant devices through which the participants are accessing the presentation or from other participant devices not directly involved with the presentation.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining a first signal from a first microphone, and determining when the first signal is indicative of activity on a first surface. The method also includes controlling a camera to focus on the first surface when it is determined that the first signal indicates the activity on the first surface. In such an embodiment, the first microphone and the camera may be part of a collaboration system, and the first surface may be a surface of a whiteboard.

Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a mobile phone cover are described. In some embodiments, the mobile phone cover may include, for example, a processor and lighting devices. The lighting devices may be operatively coupled to the processor. The processor may be configured, for example, to receive first signals based on second signals in which the second signals are generated by the mobile phone. The second signals may be indicative of an incoming call, an incoming message, a pending message, and/or a calendar alert (e.g., an upcoming appointment), for example. The processor may be configured to cause lighting of one or more of the lighting devices based on the first signals.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a frame selection unit that selects a characteristic frame from image data representing one or a plurality of objects and including a plurality of frames, an object selection unit that selects a characteristic object from the one or the plurality of objects, a textual information generation unit that generates textual information that indicates at least one of a movement of the characteristic object and a sound from the characteristic object, and a display controller that displays an image of the characteristic frame with the textual information associated with the characteristic object.

Abstract: Various aspects are described that may provide various communications services. These services may provide for the ability of a user to initiate or request a communication with a third party, such as an emergency service party or a vendor, using a network-coupled device that may be pre-associated with a physical address.

Abstract: Provided is a communication control system that controls communication between a transmitting terminal and a receiving terminal, including a signal transmitting unit that transmits a transmission signal being a voice signal or a video signal from the transmitting terminal to the receiving terminal, an acquisition unit that acquires response information specifying an arrival signal being a signal received by the receiving terminal among the transmission signal from the receiving terminal, a specifying unit that specifies the arrival signal or a lost signal being a signal not received by the receiving terminal among the transmission signal based on the transmission signal and the response information, and a display unit that displays reception status identification information capable of identifying the arrival signal or the lost signal on the transmitting terminal.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first interface for connecting to a personal computer, a second interface for connecting to a communications device, a third interface for connecting to a headset, a fourth interface for connecting to a speaker, and a processor in control of each of the interfaces. The processor is configured to route audio associated with a communications session on one of the personal computer or the communications device to the speaker, and in response to a user putting on the headset, re-route the audio to the headset.

Abstract: Provided is a system and associated method that allow meeting participants to maintain a basic awareness of the audio and visual content of a meeting using a wearable device, such as a smartwatch, well known to persons of ordinary skill in the art. Embodiments of the described system and method also provide essential interaction mechanisms such that the remote, mobile users can interact with the distributed meeting without distracting them from their other tasks. In one embodiment, the described techniques provide an unobtrusive way for users to participate in ongoing distributed meetings using a smartwatch-based interface for a video conferencing application.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to video telephony and, more particularly, to techniques for detecting a video pause in a video telephony application. In one example of the disclosure, a method for video telephony comprises detecting, at a receiving device, that video data packets associated with a video telephony call have stopped arriving from a sending device, and determining that the sending device has paused a video portion of the video telephony call based on information contained in video control packets.

Abstract: A telecommunication channel data transmission controller 20 for controlling data transmission in a telecommunication channel typically forms part of a telecommunication end point device, such as a video phone 2. The data transmission controller 20 is configured to encode and transmit data in a telecommunication channel at a channel bit rate comprising a data rate and a redundancy rate; and maintain an increase in channel bit rate 70, if a packet loss rate in the telecommunication channel does not increase by increasing the channel bit rate including reducing or maintaining the data rate and increasing the redundancy rate 68.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method, in a telecommunication system, of processing a communication event associated with a subscriber of a communication network, the method comprising: obtaining context data relating to the subscriber, and in response to receiving the communication event, the telecommunications system processing the communication event in accordance with one or more rules generated by the telecommunications system based on the obtained context.

Abstract: A video presence method and system. The method includes: receiving a multi-viewpoint three-dimensional video signal from a remote end; determining multiple viewpoint image streams in the multi-viewpoint three-dimensional video signal; and alternately displaying the multiple viewpoint image streams in sequence in a viewing area, where a distance between two neighboring viewpoints in the multiple viewpoint image streams displayed in the viewing area is a pupillary distance. By adopting the present invention, remote three-dimensional video presence may be implemented.