Abstract: The present invention enables packet-switched network providers, e.g., VoIP network providers, to use commonly deployed components and capabilities to support surveillance services, e.g., CALEA services. Specifically, signaling and media streams that flow through Border Elements can be forked and simultaneously redirected to a surveillance server, a CALEA Server in addition to the terminating endpoint. Additionally, a Media Server (MS) can unobtrusively join a third leg to a communication media path between the CALEA Server and the two, calling party and called party, endpoints. A CALEA Server provides the ability to identify and collect content of voice telephone calls traversing the VoIP Network, as mandated by the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act.

Abstract: A method of pairing Bluetooth™ enabled devices including a portable phone with a Bluetooth™ communications module of a vehicular, hands-free telephone system includes using vocal communications to prompt an operator of the phone to enter a given PIN number into the phone. The presence of any Bluetooth™ enabled devices within the vicinity of the communications module is searched. Vocal communications are used to prompt the operator to vocally state a name for the phone and to vocally state a pairing priority to be assigned to the phone. If the assigned pairing priority is not assigned to another Bluetooth™ enabled device, then the name and the pairing priority are associated with the phone. Communications between the communications module and the phone are then enabled if the phone has the highest pairing priority amongst all of the Bluetooth™ enabled devices present within the vicinity of the communications module.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for broadcasting Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) messages. A method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include receiving an indication that a message should be delivered to a plurality of recipients. In response, contact information for the plurality of recipients may be identified, and an outbound packetized call to each of the recipients may be launched. In practice, the packetized call may be in a VoIP form or some other appropriate packetized form. If a call is answered, the call may be connected to a multicast server capable of playing the to-be-delivered message.

Abstract: A system and method deliver audible caller identification information when standard Caller ID information is invalid or cannot be provided. In one disclosed embodiment, the Caller ID information must include a valid number of digits and a valid area code. If the Caller ID information is not valid, a calling party is prompted by an announcement to provide the audible caller identification information.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides a system and method for enabling a user to more easily navigate an IVR menu by, for example, displaying to the user a visual representation of the IVR menu.

Abstract: Caller ID validation system and methods are provided. When a call is placed over a communication network, a validation system receives the call signaling, and processes the call signaling to identify originating node information in the call signaling. The originating node information is inserted by the communication network when handling the call and pertains to a network node that originates the call into the network. The validation system also processes the call signaling to identify caller ID information for the call. The validation system then processes the originating node information and the caller ID information to determine whether the call originated from the originating node. If the call did originate from the originating node, then the validation system determines that the caller ID information is valid.

Abstract: In one implementation a computer-implemented method includes generating a group of telephone contacts for a first user, wherein the generating includes identifying a second user as a contact of the first user based upon a determination that the second user has at least a threshold email-based association with the first user; and adding the identified second user to the group of telephone contacts for the first user. The method further includes receiving a first request to connect a first telephone device associated with the first user to a second telephone device associated with the second user. The method also includes identifying a contact identifier of the second telephone device using the generated group of telephone contacts for the first user, and initiating a connection between the first telephone device and the second telephone device using the identified contact identifier.

Abstract: A method is provided for discarding an audio message if the audio message meets a predefined discarding condition, which may factor in at least the audio message's total length, presence of spoken word(s) in the audio message, presence of tone(s) in the audio message and the presence of click(s) in the audio message. An audio message may be discarded if no spoken words are detected in it and the audio message's total length is shorter than a predefined minimal message length, or it contains a tone and the audio message's total length minus the tone's length is shorter than the predefined minimal message length, or it contains a click sound and the audio message's total length minus the click's length is shorter than the predefined minimal message length. An audio message may be first stored in a memory buffer and then moved to a legitimate messages pool memory or to a spurious messages pool memory.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product thereof for enabling an Internet extension to ring a conventional extension are disclosed. The apparatus comprises an SIP proxy and an RTP relay. The SIP proxy receives a calling request from the Internet extension, substitutes an exchange number for a conventional extension number comprised in the calling request, and transmits the substituted calling request to a gateway, so that the substituted calling request can be transmitted to a voice automatic machine via a telephone exchange. The RTP relay transmits the conventional extension number in DTMF format to the gateway. Thus, this invention enables the Internet extension to ring the conventional extension with lower hardware costs.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for playing a Ring Back Tone are provided, and the method includes: determining, according to a call request initiated by a calling party, whether a called party has customized a called-party Ring Back Tone service; further determining, if the called party has customized a called-party Ring Back Tone service, whether the calling party has customized a Ring Back Tone; and playing, if the calling party has customized a Ring Back Tone, a ring tone to the calling party, according to the Ring Back Tone customized by the calling party. According to the above technical solution, the calling party can accurately receive the ring tone selected by the calling party himself in the case that the called party has customized a Ring Back Tone service.

Abstract: An inmate calls a call processing system and provides two phone numbers to it. The first phone number is for a 2nd Party who will accept the inmate's collect call and who will agree to pay any additional charge for adding a third party to the collect call. The second phone number is for a 3rd Party the inmate would like added to the collect call. The call processing system places the inmate on hold while the system dials the 2nd Party. When the 2nd Party accepts the inmate's collect call and agrees to pay for an additional fee for establishing a three-way call during the collect call, the inmate is taken off hold and is connected to the 2nd Party.

Abstract: A multicast call processing unit receives a request from a requester, determines if the request is associated with a multicast function, identifies a plurality of destinations defined by the multicast function and establishes communication link between the requester and the plurality of destinations. In one embodiment, the call processing unit authenticates the plurality of destinations before establishing a communication link between them and the requester. If the request from the requester is not associated with the multicast function, then the call processing unit establishes a communication link between the requester and a single destination. In another embodiment, a supervisor manages the plurality of destinations.

Abstract: A method is described for call treatment based on user association with one or more user groups. The method includes receiving a phone call from a call source that is directed to a call recipient, identifying a user group associated with the call recipient, and determining a number of received indications assigned to the user group. The received indications are assigned to the user group by users associated with the user group, and the received indications reflect a desire by the users for a special treatment of future calls from the call source. The method also includes distinguishing treatment of the phone call from the call source based on the number of received indications.

Abstract: A messaging service node sends encoded messages to wireless devices prompting the devices to capture media (e.g., audio and/or image) and send the media file to a network address specified in the message. The service node may be managed by a wireless service provider, and provides this media capture message service for unrelated, independent entities such as insurance companies, health or medial companies, government agencies, etc. The encoded message may take the form of a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message, but other formats are possible. The media is preferably captured by a camera or microphone incorporated into the wireless device.

Abstract: A method for operating a communications link between two telecommunications device requires that speech information be transmitted in a speech channel and data signals are transmitted in a data channel that is separate from the speech channel. This provides a particularly user-friendly, convenient method for operating a telecommunications link. To achieve this, display control commands are transmitted in the data channel as data signals, the display control commands triggering a display on a screen of the telecommunications device that receives the display control commands.

Abstract: A method and system for registering external telephone numbers and associating such external telephone numbers with an extension in a voice mail system. When a call is received from a telephone which is not registered in the called systems database, after the caller has identified an extension and entered an appropriate password, the user is given an opportunity to register the external telephone with the system and to associate the telephone with and extension in the called system.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a voice mail apparatus is connectable to a telephone exchange, records a voice message sent from a caller telephone terminal in a mail box corresponding to each telephone terminals, and reproduces the voice message in response to a reproduction instruction. The voice mail apparatus stores in a memory an audio file having approximately the same signal level as the voice message. The voice mail apparatus inputs the audio file in a voice processing device when a request for processing the voice message is given from a request source telephone terminal. The voice mail apparatus controls the processing gain such that the signal level output from the voice processing device becomes a prescribed level, while performing muting for the request source telephone terminal. The voice mail apparatus inputs the voice message to the voice processing device after completing controlling of the processing gain.

Abstract: Inappropriate messages can be eliminated by an automatic etiquette agent which, based on prescribed etiquette rules, initially prevents a communication from being established unless it receives a further authorization from the user. The etiquette rules represent prescribed social characteristics and situations and they may be set by, or customized by the user, an organization to which the user belongs, or a communication service provider. The automatic etiquette agent may question the user on the advisability of establishing a communication, e.g., by presenting a dialog box or voice prompt to the user and receiving a simple affirmation if communication is to be established. Alternatively, the user may be prompted by the automatic etiquette agent to enter a password that clearly indicates the user's assent. In the event that the automatic etiquette agent does not receive the appropriate affirmation of the user's intent, the communication is not established.

Abstract: A method for use of voice call restriction data to restrict mailbox-to-mailbox message transfers. When a subscriber logs into his or her voice mail box and seeks to send a voice mail message to another subscriber's voice mail box, reference will be made to voice call restriction data that indicates whether voice calls are allowed between the subscriber and the other subscriber. If the voice call restriction data indicates that voice calls are allowed between the subscribers, then the voice mail system will allow the requested mailbox-to-mailbox message transfer. On the other hand, if the voice call restriction data indicates that voice calls are not allowed between the subscribers, then the voice mail system will not allow the mailbox-to-mailbox message transfer.

Abstract: Interactive system for responding to conditions after an answering machine has been detected in an automatic telephone number dialing and announcing system so that realistic sounding recorded messages can be delivered without truncation. The system starts by: placing a telephone call to an answering machine; playing a recorded message onto the answering machine: monitoring the machine for echo cancellation sounds (sounds emanating from the answering machine) while simultaneously playing the message; repeating the playing of said message onto the answering machine while monitoring for echo cancellation sounds; and continuing to play the message until there are no echo cancellation sounds whereby the recorded message is launched unto the answering machine and continues playing the message to completion. If there are greater than three occurrences of echo cancellation sounds.