Abstract: Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, and machine-readable mediums that assign a same identifier to a plurality of a user's communication devices. A communication server alerts only one device of the plurality of communication devices at a time in response to a communication establishment request from a calling communication device directed to the identifier. If the user fails to answer the alert, another device is chosen and alerted according to a particular sequence of devices until the user either answers or until all devices (or a determined subset of devices) have been tried. In sonic examples, the communication devices are reachable by the communication service via an alternative address known to the communication server, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus in a wireless network that allow devices, such as client devices and access points (APs), having software defined radios (SDRs) to change operating behavior depending on network RF environment conditions are disclosed. The devices may be instructed to operate according to differently defined behavior profiles that may be chosen based on RF environment conditions. The profiles may be stored in a database. A particular profile may be obtained from the database for one or more devices based on an interference level within an RF environment of the devices. The profiles may be implemented to change device operating behavior so that interference is reduced or minimized in higher levels of interference. The profiles may also be implemented to change device behavior so that interference is reduced in lower levels of interference while also freeing up resources for more efficient use in the network during lower levels of interference.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software technology for partitioning media streams is disclosed herein. In an implementation, an application partitions an encoded media stream into multiple sub-streams having different code rates relative to each other. The sub-streams may then be transmitted to different wireless access points. A change in a monitored performance of at least one of the wireless access points may drive a modification to the partitioning of the media stream such that the code rates change relative to each other.

Abstract: Systems and methods for routing communications received via a PTSN are disclosed. A communication session server facilitates communication sessions between a first computing device, a second computing device and a public service accessible via a PSTN. The first computing device establishes a communication session with the communication session server using a first communication mode. The second computing device establishes a communication session with the public service using a second communication mode and a communication session with the communication session server using the first communication mode. Communications received by the second computing device from the public service via the second communication mode are routed to the communication session server via the first communication mode. The communication session server then sends the received communications to the first computing device using the first communication mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encrypting communications between two radio frequency (RF) transceivers selects a level of encryption based on device characteristics of the two RF transceivers. Each RF transceiver generates a common sequence having an integer, M, symbols based on the selected encryption level and on signals received from the other RF transceiver. Each RF transceiver then generates a cryptographic key based upon the common sequence, encrypts a message using the cryptographic key, and sends the encrypted message to the other RF transceiver. In one embodiment, the M symbols are selected from an alphabet where the value M and the size of the alphabet are selected based on the device characteristics of the two RF transceivers.

Abstract: A computing device stores an acquired image as a transient image template when there is a failure in an image-based authentication of the acquired image and the user of the computing device has provided user credentials that authorize the user to access the computing device. The transient image template may be used to further authorize the user to access the computing device during a predetermined time period. At the expiration of the predetermined time period, the computing device deletes the transient image template. The computing device then reverts to using a baseline image template for performing image-based authentication of the user. The transient image template may also be associated with a location such that the computing device uses the transient image template for image-based authentication when the computing device is at or near the location.

Abstract: A computing device stores an acquired image as a transient image template when there is a failure in an image-based authentication of the acquired image and the user of the computing device has provided user credentials that authorize the user to access the computing device. The transient image template may be used to further authorize the user to access the computing device during a predetermined time period. At the expiration of the predetermined time period, the computing device deletes the transient image template. The computing device then reverts to using a baseline image template for performing image-based authentication of the user. The transient image template may also be associated with a location such that the computing device uses the transient image template for image-based authentication when the computing device is at or near the location.

Abstract: Methods and systems for authenticating an account based on a password are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes providing a configuration defining a delay criterion for a delay between at least two characters of a password for an account, providing a user interface configured to set the delay criterion for the account based on input received in the user interface setting a user-configurable value for the delay. If the user-configurable value for the delay is received, the delay criterion for the account is set according to the received user-configurable value. If the user-configurable value for the delay is not received, the delay criterion for the account is set to a system-assigned value for the delay. A notification is also provided conveying the system-assigned value for the delay. An authentication request for the account is received, and the delay criterion is enforced when authenticating the account.

Abstract: Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, and machine-readable mediums that assign a same identifier to a plurality of a user's communication devices. A communication server alerts only one device of the plurality of communication devices at a time in response to a communication establishment request from a calling communication device directed to the identifier. If the user fails to answer the alert, another device is chosen and alerted according to a particular sequence of devices until the user either answers or until all devices (or a determined subset of devices) have been tried. In some examples, the communication devices are reachable by the communication service via an alternative address known to the communication server, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

Abstract: Methods and systems for authenticating a user account based on a password are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes receiving input defining a sequence of characters included in an entered password, ignoring characters between a first position in the sequence of characters and a second position in the sequence of characters, and validating the password based on non-ignored characters in the sequence of characters.

Abstract: A first micro-base station may be configured initiate communications with a plurality of mobile devices, where each mobile device is associated with an access ID stored in the first micro-base station. The access ID may be a MAC ID. The first micro-base station may determine that a handover trigger has occurred. The first micro-base station may handover communications with at least one of the mobile devices to a second micro-base station by sending a list of access IDs to the second micro-base station. The access IDs sent by the first micro-base station may be a subset of the access IDs of mobile devices communicating with the first micro-base station. The second micro-base station receiving the list may then takeover communications with the at least one mobile device using the access IDs in the list. The handover may be transparent to the mobile devices that are handed over.

Abstract: Systems for utilizing bandwidth of a wireless network in an efficient manner are disclosed. Bandwidth may be allocated between different types of devices by dividing a symbol constellation into subsets of points, where each of the subsets may be used for transmitting data from a different device to a base station on single frequency channel. The symbol constellation may be shared on the frequency channel by dynamic or static allocation of the subsets of points to different devices. A first device with high data speed requirements may be allocated a first subset of points of the symbol constellation fix transmitting data to the receiver, while a second device with lower data speed requirements may be allocated a second smaller subset of the symbol constellation for transmitting data to a receiver. The first and second devices may then transmit data to the receiver on the frequency channel.

Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed provide for dynamically allocating resources based on a utilization of a computing resource, such as a network or a stable storage device. In one aspect, a system including processing circuitry configured to perform operations, the operations including determining, at a first time, a utilization spike of a computing resource based on a utilization threshold, automatically adjusting the utilization threshold based on the determination, determining, during a time window, one or more second utilization spikes of the computing resource based on the adjusted utilization threshold; and dynamically reallocating resources in response to the determined one or more second utilization spikes meeting a first criterion.

Abstract: An initiating device receives an initiation of a packet-based call to a service. The initiating device may detect a failure of the packet-based call and determine whether a proxy device is in proximity to the initiating device. The proxy device may be cellular-enabled and capable of communicating with a cellular network. Upon a determination that the proxy device is in proximity to the initiating device, the initiating device instructs the proxy device to communicate with the service using the cellular network. The initiating device then communicates with the service via the proxy device and the cellular network.

Abstract: An initiating device receives a request to initiate a call to a service associated with a first identifier, wherein the identifier is associated with a first geographic location. A determination is then made as to whether a proxy device is in proximity to the initiating device, wherein the proxy device is configured to wirelessly communicate using a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP). In response to the determination that the proxy device is in proximity to the initiating device, a determination is made for a second identifier for calling the service based on a second geographic location, wherein the second geographic location is associated with the proxy device, and the first identifier is replaced with the second identifier. The second identifier is then transmitted to the proxy device with an instruction to call the service. Thereafter, communications are performed via the proxy device.

Abstract: A computing device operating according to a frequency division multiplexed protocol in which communication occurs over a signal formed from a plurality of sub-channels selected from anywhere in a frequency spectrum. A computing device may select sub-channels cognitively by using information about sub-channels previously deemed suitable or unsuitable by that computing device or other computing devices. A described technique for determining sub-channel suitability includes analyzing radio frequency energy in the sub-channel to detect signals generated by another computing device or high noise levels. Information may also be used to cognitively select sub-channels to be analyzed, such as by first selecting for analysis previously-used sub-channels.

Abstract: A wireless computing device operating as a controller of a peer-to-peer group configured to generate unique master keys for each device joining the group. The wireless computing device may use the unique master keys to selectively remove remote devices from the group such that the remote device cannot later rejoin the group. Other remote devices, each possessing a master key that remains valid, can disconnect from the group and later reconnect to the group without express user action. To support such behavior, the wireless device may provide a user interface through which a user may manage connected remote devices by providing commands to selectively disconnect or remove remote devices from the group.

Abstract: Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, devices, and machine-readable mediums for securing biometric data using an encryption technique that does not require key storage or distribution. In some examples, a first biometric template of a user is input into a function that selects or determines parameters (such as an encryption key) of an encryption function that is then used to encrypt a second biometric template of the user.

Abstract: Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, devices, and machine-readable mediums for securing biometric data using distance-preserving transformations. A distance-preserving transformation is a function which maps elements to the same or another metric space such that the distance between the elements in the new metric space is equal to the distance between the elements in the original metric space.

Abstract: A cryptographic key generator for a first optical transceiver includes a photodetector that receives a continuous wave light beam received via an optical channel from a second optical transceiver. The generator samples and quantizes signals from the photodetector during a plurality of intervals to generate respective samples representing respective numbers of photons incident on the photodetector during each of the plurality of intervals. The generator creates a first cryptographic key from the plurality of digital values. The second optical transceiver receives a continuous wave light beam from the first transceiver and performs the same functions to create a second cryptographic key. Due to the reciprocal nature of the channels, the first and second cryptographic keys match.