Abstract: Methods are disclosed for caching content and state data at a network element. In one embodiment, data packets are intercepted at a network element. An application layer message, which specifies a request for specified data from a server application, is determined from the data packets. A first portion of the specified data contained in the network element's cache is determined. A message that requests a second portion of the data not contained in the cache is sent toward a server application. A first response that contains the second portion, but not the first portion, is received. A second response, which contains the first and second portions, is sent toward a client application. In one embodiment, data packets are intercepted at the network element. An application layer message, which specifies session or database connection state information, is determined from the data packets. The state information is cached at the network element.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for high-speed processing of structured application messages in a network device. According to one aspect, a network device receives a set of message classification rules that have been prepared beforehand by a system administrator or customer. The system analyzes the message classification rules to determine what part(s) of the message are necessary to classify a message according to the message classification rules. This allows the system to consider only the relevant parts of the message and ignore the rest of the message. The system extracts the portion of the message necessary for classifying the message and classifies the message using the values of the extracted information and the message classification rules. A unique sequence of operations is implied by the message classification and those operations must then be applied to the message.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extensible real-time workflows are described. The present invention allows a user of a transaction processing system, such as a customer relationship management (CRM) tool or an automatic call distribution (ACD), for example, to easily add new event sources without recompiling the core workflow server engine of the transaction processing system. The invention also supports features such as the adding of new services, the exchange of events and parameters with other systems, real-time collection and display of workflow statistical information, the use of a centralized configuration database, incremental loading and unloading of workflows and rules, and exception handling.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for caching content and state data at a network element. In one embodiment, data packets are intercepted at a network element. An application layer message, which specifies a request for specified data from a server application, is determined from the data packets. A first portion of the specified data contained in the network element's cache is determined. A message that requests a second portion of the data not contained in the cache is sent toward a server application. A first response that contains the second portion, but not the first portion, is received. A second response, which contains the first and second portions, is sent toward a client application. In one embodiment, data packets are intercepted at the network element. An application layer message, which specifies session or database connection state information, is determined from the data packets. The state information is cached at the network element.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for application layer message-based network element management of server failures. According to one aspect, a network element such as a router intercepts session state information that is contained in a request from a client and locally stores the session state information. As a result, application servers to which the requests are directed do not need to store the session state information. If an application server fails, then the network element can use the session state information stored at the network element to continue the session with another application server, transparently to the client application that is involved in the session.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for caching content and state data at a network element. In one embodiment, data packets are intercepted at a network element. An application layer message, which specifies a request for specified data from a server application, is determined from the data packets. A first portion of the specified data contained in the network element's cache is determined. A message that requests a second portion of the data not contained in the cache is sent toward a server application. A first response that contains the second portion, but not the first portion, is received. A second response, which contains the first and second portions, is sent toward a client application. In one embodiment, data packets are intercepted at the network element. An application layer message, which specifies session or database connection state information, is determined from the data packets. The state information is cached at the network element.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for reducing the sizes of application layer messages in a network element such as a network switch or router. According to one aspect, the network element receives data packets and determines an original application layer message that is collectively contained in payload portions of the data packets. The network element compresses the original application layer message into a compressed message, and sends the compressed message toward an application that is hosted on a device other than the network element. According to another aspect, the network element receives data packets and determines a compressed message that is collectively contained in payload portions of the data packets. The network element decompresses the compressed message into an original application layer message, and sends the original application layer message toward an application that is hosted on a device other than the network element. Compressed messages consume less network bandwidth.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extensible real-time workflows are described. The present invention allows a user of a transaction processing system, such as a customer relationship management (CRM) tool or an automatic call distribution (ACD), for example, to easily add new event sources without recompiling the core workflow server engine of the transaction processing system. The invention also supports features such as the adding of new services, the exchange of events and parameters with other systems, real-time collection and display of workflow statistical information, the use of a centralized configuration database, incremental loading and unloading of workflows and rules, and exception handling.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for coordinating multiple session multimodal interaction. The system and method includes a capability discovery module adapted to discover multimodal capability between at least one client and a multimodal device. The system and method includes an association module adapted to associate multiple independent sessions. The system and method includes a synchronization module adapted to synchronize at least one session with other sessions. And the system and method integrate the at least one client with other devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extensible real-time workflows are described. The present invention allows a user of a transaction processing system, such as a customer relationship management (CRM) tool or an automatic call distribution (ACD), for example, to easily add new event sources without recompiling the core workflow server engine of the transaction processing system. The invention also supports features such as the adding of new services, the exchange of events and parameters with other systems, real-time collection and display of workflow statistical information, the use of a centralized configuration database, incremental loading and unloading of workflows and rules, and exception handling.

Abstract: A communications system contains a network linking a number of communications devices participating in a communications session. During the communications session, the communications devices share information indicating when participants are speaking. Based on this information, the communications devices control output levels to suppress the output of spurious signals during the communications session.

Abstract: According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, a method for externally interrupting a telephony communication session includes establishing the telephony communication session with a remote user using a telephony interface. The method further includes loading a web page specifying one or more event handlers and media for presentation and presenting the media through a voice portion of the telephony communication session using the telephony interface. The method also includes handling input received by the telephony interface through the telephony communication session and receiving an interrupt at an interrupt handler, the interrupt specifying a session identifier for the telephony communication session. The method further includes identifying and communicating an event based on the interrupt and handling the event using a matching one of the event handlers of the web page.

Abstract: A system for application development is disclosed. The system includes programming entities, which include a workflow and a container. A contract specifies an interaction between at least two programming entities.