Abstract: An IP system receives a call placed to an ENUM address. The IP system transfers a signaling message indicating the ENUM address to a processing system. For a call to a ported number, the processing system translates the ENUM address into the LRN for a communication node that serves the called party and returns the LRN to the IP system. The IP system routes the call based on the LRN.

Abstract: An enhanced alerting system delivers caller identification information to a user of a mobile communications device with the called device announcing in an audio format the name associated with a calling device. The enhanced alerting system may be implemented by an Internet Protocol (IP) based system, e.g., IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). In at least one embodiment of the invention, an application server streams the announcement to the called communications device. In at least one embodiment of the invention, the service is network controlled. In at least one embodiment of the invention, the service is user equipment controlled. In at least one embodiment of the invention, a calling communications device streams the announcement to the called communications device in a request for a call session with the called communications device.

Abstract: Included are embodiments for detecting presence in a call control protocol environment. At least one embodiment of a method includes subscribing to events associated with a communication system and receiving a notification for an event, the event being associated with a communication between a first communications device and a second communications device.

Abstract: An electronic device that is connected to an external interface of a computer and has a memory unit that stores a program to be executed by the computer and data. The program includes a first operating unit that causes the computer to perform an operation of acquiring conference information containing at least one of image data and audio data as to a conference and storing the conference information in a predetermined memory area.

Abstract: A service order management system provisions service orders in a communications network having multiple network elements. The service order management system includes an order manager and an interface. The order manager, which receives requests representative of service orders for at least one communications service from dissimilar service order sources, includes an input process and an output process which determine, at least in part, service implementing information provided to the network elements to implement the at least one communications service. The interface is configured to interface the service order management system with the dissimilar service order sources.

Abstract: A packet-based, hierarchical communication system, arranged in a spanning tree configuration, is described in which wired and wireless communication networks exhibiting substantially different characteristics are employed in an overall scheme to link portable or mobile computing devices. The network accommodates real time voice transmission both through dedicated, scheduled bandwidth and through a packet-based routing within the confines and constraints of a data network. Conversion and call processing circuitry is also disclosed which enables access devices and personal computers to adapt voice information between analog voice stream and digital voice packet formats as proves necessary. Routing pathways include wireless spanning tree networks, wide area networks, telephone switching networks, internet, etc., in a manner virtually transparent to the user.

Abstract: A method and system for number indexing for advertising. Alphanumeric identifiers (e.g., telephone number, voice-over-Internet Protocol identifier, an Internet Protocol identifier, an instant message identifier or an e-mail address identifier) are used to categorize and associate pre-determined advertising with the alphanumeric identifiers. When the alphanumeric identifier is received on a communications network, the pre-determined advertising associated with the alphanumeric identifier is sent to a target device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a network service to provide a call center with an option that allows calling customers to mute their conversation prior to a customer care representative is available to answer the call while the customer is being placed on hold waiting are disclosed. The customer selects the muting option by entering, e.g., a predefined Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signal provided in a network announcement. The present invention also enables a network capability to un-mute the call leg as soon as the customer care representative is available to answer the customer call.

Abstract: A network-based announcement and message delivery service for providing a landline customer with information of interest such as weather, financial market data, time/temperature, sporting event results, etc. In a first embodiment, information is provided to a subscriber who simply lifts the handset of the telephone. The subscriber instead of hearing a dial tone hears the information in the form of streaming audio. In another embodiment, information is provided to the subscriber by way of information displayed on a caller-ID display and/or by way of talking caller-ID.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method for audio/video conferencing. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises using a dynamic threshold value to determine whether there is speech on a line. One aspect, the method comprises determining a dynamic threshold value based on one or more characteristics of signals received on a port, associating that dynamic threshold value with the port; and comparing one or more characteristics of signals subsequently received on the port to the dynamic threshold value. Signals received over a plurality of ports are summed, but for ports whose signal characteristics have a specified relationship to the dynamic threshold value associated with that port, signals are not contained in the sum.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for communicating Web-Services (WS) messages. First there is allocated an identical amount of a cache history storage at each sender and receiver device for storing a history of communicated WS message strings. At the sender, there is generated an intermediate data representations of each message being built, the corresponding message string stored in the cache history storage. The message is communicated as a serialized data string according to the built data representation. For each subsequent message to be communicated, the method comprises identifying identical portions in intermediate data representations of a current message being built and replacing each identified portion in message strings with a reference indicator to a location in the cache history storage corresponding to an identical character string portion associated with a prior message that has been communicated.

Abstract: A third party tandem provider that intercepts and routes voice and data traffic between telecommunications carriers, e.g., wireless carriers, local exchange carriers, and long distance carriers, by dynamically determining the actual terminating switch for a call using a plurality of proprietary databases versus terminating calls merely based on the switch associated with the terminating telephone number. The tandem services provider Service Control Point (SCP) is arranged to maintain a carrier unit's status in a resident database or secure such information per call from the terminating carrier's database. When a call is placed to a telephone number associated with a carrier connected to the tandem, the tandem platform Service Switching Point (SSP) queries the SCP for availability and routing instructions. In response, the SCP accesses its database and/or the terminating carrier's database to determine the status of the unit.

Abstract: In a method for calling participants in a conference call, a computer system receives a conference date, a call time for the conference call, names of the participants, and telephone numbers for the participants. The computer system is operable to automatically initiate computer originated calls to the participants on the conference date at the call time for connecting the participants together for the conference call. The computer system receives one or more pre-set call-back preferences before the conference call is initiated. The one or more pre-set call-back preferences are for use by the computer system if one or more of the participants is not initially connected to the conference call in response to one or more of the computer originated calls. The one or more call-back preferences include a designation of a user-selectable call-back frequency with which each non-answering participant is called back.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a call to a destination address are disclosed. Generally a first network element is queried regarding treatment of a call to a destination address. The call is then routed to the destination address when the first network element determines, based on an originating destination address associated with the call, that the call has been previously treated at a second network element.

Abstract: A system for removing a protection associated with an account of a customer that prevents a change of a service provider of the customer includes a database server configured to receive a request from a prospective service provider of the customer to remove the protection associated with the customer's account when authorization of the customer is required to effect the change of the service provider. The request includes an electronic address of an audio file including a customer's authorization to remove the protection. The system also includes a computer configured to access the audio file based on the electronic address and to indicate whether to remove the protection based on the audio file, and a customer care ordering system configured to remove the protection when the computer indicates that the protection is to be removed.

Abstract: Rich contact information is provided coincident to a telephone call on a mobile device in an alternate communication. When a telephone call is received on the phone, rich content such as rich personal contact data is provided to the receiver of the call. The rich contact data corresponds to the sender of the call. The rich contact data is sent as an alternate communication directly between the device initiating the call and the device receiving the call.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for temporarily provisioning a telephone service feature. At the request of a calling or called party, a telephone service feature to be temporarily provisioned can be identified. Once identified, the telephone service feature can be provisioned and activated to handle the telephone service feature. Upon completion of the call, the requested telephone service is deactivated. In order to activate the requested telephone service feature, system resources can be allocated to support the identified telephone service feature. The allocation of system resources can include reserving a pool of resources for activating the identified telephone service feature. For example, a pool of line interface circuits may be reserved specifically for providing temporary provisioning of the telephone service feature for subscribers. An available resource capable of processing the identified telephone service feature can be selected from the pool of resources.

Abstract: The method and system guides a user to easily and effectively communicate with a potential recipient via an integrated communication server. The integrated communication server will track and aggregate user presence information about the potential recipient. The aggregated user presence information includes the current state, activity, and/or availability of the potential recipient. The integrated communication server dynamically analyzes and compares the aggregated user presence information with user preference information of the potential recipient in order to identify an appropriate communication method. The identified appropriate communication method is published to the user indicating that it has a great likelihood of reaching the potential recipient successfully in the right way at the right time.

Abstract: A Personal-CFC system and method is described for controlling a multiplicity of telephones, for providing extended feature sets globally to all such telephones and for routing of media-rich calls between such telephones and multimedia equipment. The Personal-CFC is a software program that is easily embedded in various devices and it requires no hardware. For example, a mobile Personal-CFC system can be incorporated into a PDA or PC. The end user can use the Personal-CFC system to control other telephones, such as conference telephones, that do not belong to the end user.

Abstract: A method includes creating process data which constitutes at least a portion of the control program and describes the execution contents of the communication functions, and parameter data which constitutes a different portion of the control program from the process data portion and is used to describe individual setting information of user in accordance with the process data, in the center apparatus, sending the process data, and the parameter data from the center apparatus to the user apparatus via the communication network, receiving the process data and the parameter data from the center apparatus, then describing input individual setting information in the parameter data to create the control program, in the user apparatus, recording the resulting control program onto a recording medium, and reading the control program from the recording medium and setting the read control program in the communication equipment as requested by the user, in the user apparatus.