Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for classifying a live media tag into a type. A system configured to practice the method receives a group of tags generated in real time and associated with at least a portion of a live media event, identifies a tag type for at least one tag in the group of tags, and classifies the at least one tag as the tag type. Tag types can include system-defined types, user-entered types, categories, media categories, and text labels. More than one user can generate tags for the media event via more than one tagging platform. The system can further identify the tag type by sending to a user a list of suggested tag types, receiving from the user a selection of a suggested tag type from the list, and identifying the tag type as the suggested tag type.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for managing user interfaces. A system for managing user interfaces is configured for categorizing users according to at least one of common user characteristics and common user behaviors with respect to at least a first domain to yield a group of users. The system is also configured for identifying at least one user behavior with respect to a second domain during a first time interval for at least one user in the group of users. The system is further configured for providing a customized interface for at least other users in the group of users with respect to the second domain during a second time interval after the first time interval. In the system, the content in the customized interface is based on the at least one user behavior.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for managing resources. A system for managing resources is configured for categorizing users according to at least one of common user characteristics and common user behaviors with respect to at least a first domain to yield a group of users. The system is also configured for identifying at least one user behavior during a first time interval for at least one user in the group of users and associated with an event in a second domain different than the first domain. The system is further configured for providing a response associated with the second domain for at least other users in the group of users during a second time interval after the first time interval. In the various embodiments, the response is based on the event and the at least one user behavior associated with the event.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for managing resources. A system for managing resources is configured for categorizing users according to at least one of common user characteristics and common user behaviors with respect to at least a first domain to yield a group of users. The system is also configured for identifying a resource associated with at least one user behavior in a second domain different from the first domain during a first time interval for at least one user from the group of users. The system is further configured for modifying an accessibility of the resource, during a second time interval after the first time interval, with respect to the second domain for at least other users in the group of users based on the at least one user behavior.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for creating tag subscriptions and notifying users based on tag subscriptions. A system configured to create tag subscriptions receives from a user, as part of a tag subscription request, a tag, a selection of at least one media event to which the tag is to be applied, and a notification threshold. The system then establishes a tag subscription associated with the user based on the tag, the selection of at least one media event, and the notification threshold. A system configured to generate tag notifications based on a tag subscription retrieves a tag subscription including a tag, a selection of a media event, and a notification threshold. The system then monitors tags generated in association with the media event for matches with the tag, and sends a tag notification to a user when matches exceed the notification threshold.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for exchanging and processing tag information between users with different types of communications devices. In operation, tag information is received processed to provide an alternative tag communication to selected participants in the media event. That is, at least a portion of the tags of a media event are used to create an alternate tag communication that can be delivered to participants, together with or separate from the conventional or default tag communication associated with the media event. The alternate tag communications can be used to allow participation of users associated with communications devices incompatible with the media format of default tag communication. Further, the alternate tag information can also be used as a secondary means of communications during a media event.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for aggregating and presenting tags. A system configured to practice the method identifies a type for each tag describing a media event received from a tagging system, generates aggregate tags representing at least a portion of the set of tags based on the identified types, associates each aggregate tag with the media event based on the at least the portion of the plurality of tags represented by each respective aggregate tag, and optionally outputs the aggregate tags with the media event. A system configured to combine media segments based on aggregated tags first retrieves aggregate tags associated with a media event, receives input from a user, identifies a subset of aggregate tags related to the input, and outputs portions of the media event associated with the subset of aggregate tags.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for summarizing multiple aspects of tags associated with media events. In the system and method, tag metadata for tags generated at one or more user interfaces associated with at least one media event is obtained. Thereafter, tags are organized into a hierarchy of tags based on the metadata and a metadata sorting criteria. Additionally, tag significance data for tags is computed based on the metadata and the hierarchy. A visual representation of the tags can then be generated, where indicia for the tags is spatially arranged to visually depict the hierarchy of the tags are selected to visually depict at least a relative significance among sibling tags in the hierarchy.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for presenting temporal aspects of a group of tags associated with a primary media stream. The temporal aspects of the tags are presented by obtaining temporal metadata for the tags, generating a secondary media stream for the media event based on the temporal metadata, and delivering the secondary media stream to a user terminal, such that the secondary media stream is navigable at the user terminal. The secondary media stream includes a sequence of representations of the tags visually depicting a relative significance of the tags during different intervals of times for the media event. Changes in the relative significance of the tags between successive representations can be depicted by changing at least one of a size, position, a shape, and a color of indicia associated with the tags.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing a virtual assistant to at least one party of a communication. The virtual assistant is injected into the communication, for example, by a VXML engine. The operation of the virtual assistant is controlled by one or more software modules that are obtained from a proxy node. The software modules allow commands received from or destined for the party to be interpreted. The virtual assistant may optionally be customized based on a selection of the one or more supported external applications. The proxy node provides at least one method for the party that allows the party to access functionality provided by at least one external application. The proxy node interprets signals from the virtual assistant; converts the signals from the virtual assistant into commands for the external application; and converts one or more of commands, messages and data from the external application into signals understood by the virtual assistant.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed in which participants in a communication session contribute tags—during the course of the communication session—such that the tags are visible to at least some of the participants as the communication session progresses. This creates a “live” collaborative tagging environment. Tags are contributed by some or all the participants on the communication session. The tags are displayed as they are generated. Moreover, one who declines to speak on the communication session can still actively tag. In this way, a tagger can participate and contribute in a collaborative live manner while the communication session is in progress. This approach departs from traditional “after the fact” or “note-taking” techniques in the prior art.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for developing and processing workflows that include communication tasks. A workflow is generated according to the present invention by inserting at least one communication node in the workflow. The communication node associated is with a communication task having at least one property that is resolved at run time. For example, the media type, recipient list, or timing of a communication may be resolved at run-time. A workflow generation tool is provided that generates a workflow based on (i) a user selection of at least one communication node to insert in a workflow, and (ii) a user specification of one or more properties of the communication task, wherein at least one property of the communication task is resolved at run time. At run-time, a workflow engine parses at least communication node in a workflow associated with a communication task and having at least one property that is resolved at run time.

Abstract: A method to easily, quickly and visually identify experts, relevant tags, information associated with the experts, important topics, and emerging trends without some of the disadvantages of the prior art is disclosed. The present invention provides a novel user interface that connects general queries, users, tags, and information sources together.

Abstract: A method of determining which users are experts and which tags are appropriate without some of the disadvantages of the prior art is described. The level of a user's expertise is determined based on previous tags, the categorization of one or more tags, and the rating of the tags previously left by the user. The appropriateness of a tag is based on previous tagging of information by the user, by the number of times a user has tagged information with the same categorization, and the rating of a user.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for determining, for each candidate communication medium, the availability of one or more telecommunications endpoint users for participating in a communication session of interest (i.e., either new or existing) via the evaluated medium. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, an availability manager determines the availability based on (i) one or more discrete rules, or (ii) one or more continuous functions, or both. The continuous functions are specified with respect to the time that has elapsed since a previous session, the time remaining in an active session, and the expected duration of a new session. Once it has determined the availability of one or more participants in the communication session, the availability manager of the illustrative embodiment transmits one or more signals to a call-processing server, which then sets up the participants on the session via the appropriate communication medium such as voice, instant messaging, and so forth.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for determining, for each candidate communication medium, the availability of one or more telecommunications endpoint users for participating in a communication session of interest (i.e., either new or existing) via the evaluated medium. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, an availability manager determines the availability based on (i) one or more discrete rules, or (ii) one or more continuous functions, or both. The continuous functions are specified with respect to the time that has elapsed since a previous session, the time remaining in an active session, and the expected duration of a new session. Once it has determined the availability of one or more participants in the communication session, the availability manager of the illustrative embodiment transmits one or more signals to a call-processing server, which then sets up the participants on the session via the appropriate communication medium such as voice, instant messaging, and so forth.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for determining, for each candidate communication medium, the availability of one or more telecommunications endpoint users for participating in a communication session of interest (i.e., either new or existing) via the evaluated medium. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, an availability manager determines the availability based on (i) one or more discrete rules, or (ii) one or more continuous functions, or both. The continuous functions are specified with respect to the time that has elapsed since a previous session, the time remaining in an active session, and the expected duration of a new session. Once it has determined the availability of one or more participants in the communication session, the availability manager of the illustrative embodiment transmits one or more signals to a call-processing server, which then sets up the participants on the session via the appropriate communication medium such as voice, instant messaging, and so forth.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that enables the selection of a team of people in an organization, such as a business enterprise, to participate in a task that involves communicating with each other, in which the selection of the team seeks to maximize the team cohesiveness. The illustrative embodiment of the present invention incorporates the use of a social network model to describe the communication pattern in the organization. Based on the relationship between the organization's social network structure and the cohesiveness between the people in the organization, the technique of the illustrative embodiment estimates the dyadic cohesiveness of each pair of people, which is defined as the expected value of relationship strength between each evaluated pair of people. One component of the relationship strength is the number of interactions between the two people in the pair. The technique of the illustrative embodiment then uses the cohesiveness estimates to select teams.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for determining, for each candidate communication medium, the availability of one or more telecommunications endpoint users for participating in a communication session of interest (i.e., either new or existing) via the evaluated medium. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, an availability manager determines the availability based on (i) one or more discrete rules, or (ii) one or more continuous functions, or both. The continuous functions are specified with respect to the time that has elapsed since a previous session, the time remaining in an active session, and the expected duration of a new session. Once it has determined the availability of one or more participants in the communication session, the availability manager of the illustrative embodiment transmits one or more signals to a call-processing server, which then sets up the participants on the session via the appropriate communication medium such as voice, instant messaging, and so forth.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for determining, for each candidate communication medium, the availability of one or more telecommunications endpoint users for participating in a communication session of interest (i.e., either new or existing) via the evaluated medium. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, an availability manager determines the availability based on (i) one or more discrete rules, or (ii) one or more continuous functions, or both. The continuous functions are specified with respect to the time that has elapsed since a previous session, the time remaining in an active session, and the expected duration of a new session. Once it has determined the availability of one or more participants in the communication session, the availability manager of the illustrative embodiment transmits one or more signals to a call-processing server, which then sets up the participants on the session via the appropriate communication medium such as voice, instant messaging, and so forth.