Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for fault resilience in Audio/Video Bridging (AVB) aware Shortest Path Bridging (SPB) networks are provided. In this regard, a path cost, which may be based at least on AVB compatibility, may be determined for each network path discovered between a first network node and a second network node. Additionally, a plurality of network paths may be selected based on the determined path cost, and a plurality of network connections may be established over the selected plurality of network paths. Also, a plurality of data streams may be transmitted and/or received via the established network connections, wherein at least one of data streams comprises data that is redundant to a first data stream. Furthermore, a primary data stream may be conveyed via a first network connection and one or more redundant data streams may be conveyed via a second network connection.

Abstract: Providing virtual talk groups to an endpoint includes managing the virtual talk groups, where a virtual talk group comprises one or more members operable to participate in the virtual talk group. One or more overlapping members are identified, where an overlapping member is a member of more than one virtual talk group. Internal virtual talk groups are generated from the original virtual talk groups, where the internal virtual talk groups comprise at least a reduced number of overlapping members. One or more original virtual talk groups are provided to the endpoint using the internal virtual talk groups.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for efficiently inventorying a plurality of items of media contained in a library is provided. The method includes reading a barcode located on an item of media that contains contents and determining whether the barcode is known. Optionally, the method may also determine if the know item of media was previously offline. If it is determined that the barcode is known, the media is identified as known. However, if it is determined that the barcode is not known, a detailed inventory of the contents of the item of media is performed. In one embodiment, if it is determined that the barcode is not known, a user is notified that a new item of media has been identified.

Abstract: An approach is provided for managed instant communication (or chat)-based helpdesk services. An inquiry for a support service is received, at a helpdesk management platform, from a customer requesting assistance, the inquiry including one or more parameters defining the support service. A response is generated to the inquiry based on the one or more parameters, the response indicating a plurality of helpdesks associated with at least one service provider. An instant communication session is established between the customer and one of the helpdesks. The instant communication session is placed into a queue for an agent associated with the one helpdesk.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system, method, and article of manufacture of a context-data acquisition and ranking. A context-data type is determined from a query. At least one context-data source that provides the context-data type is identified. A request for a context data of the context-data type is generated from the at least one context data source. A received context data from the at least one context data source according a specified parameter may be ranked. The received context data may be provided to the device that generated a short message. The received context data may be provided to a recipient mobile device. The received context data may be associated with a component of a short message generated by a device that generated the query. The received context data may be appended to the short message.

Abstract: A method for determining a rotor position of an electrical generator in a wind turbine is described comprising determining a voltage of the electrical generator, determining a rotor position angle estimate based on the voltage of the electrical generator, determining a subsequent rotor position angle estimate through a feedback loop, based on a combination of the voltage of the electrical generator and the rotor position angle estimate. Further, a method to real time track encoder health is described comprising determining the phase angle of a reference voltage, determining the angle difference between the rotor position and the reference voltage, and determining the differentiation of the angle difference.

Abstract: Microprobes for common mode noise reduction are described.

Abstract: Detection and tracking of an object by exploiting its unique reflectance signature. This is done by examining every image pixel and computing how closely that pixel's spectrum matches a known object spectral signature. The measured radiance spectra of the object can be used to estimate its intrinsic reflectance properties that are invariant to a wide range of illumination effects. This is achieved by incorporating radiative transfer theory to compute the mapping between the observed radiance spectra to the object's reflectance spectra. The consistency of the reflectance spectra allows for object tracking through spatial and temporal gaps in coverage. Tracking an object then uses a prediction process followed by a correction process.

Abstract: An approach provides service assistance using a hierarchical order of communication channels. Service requests are received from a user. A plurality of different modes of communication functionality can be made available for interactivity with the user. A hierarchical order of the modes can be established in relation to the respective degree of communication interactivity. The mode of least degree of communication interactivity in the hierarchical order can be selected for initial communication with the user in response to the request for service. After communicating with the user in accordance with the selected mode, communication with the user can be changed to a communication mode higher in the hierarchical order if the service request has not been resolved.

Abstract: Architecture for enabling the definition of candidates of a collaboration session, and the manner or modality of communication that identifies collaboration opportunities, including meeting time, place, and modalities, for example. The modality of communication can include an online meeting, a telephone conference call, or a face-to-face meeting. Meta information of the candidates is aggregated from multiple sources to identify collaboration opportunities and compute an opportunity window for the collaboration session. The meta information can include online presence, availability information, a calendar schedule, geographic location, time zone, expertise, and profile related information. Candidates for the collaboration session can be tagged based on common interest, team membership, or project information. In this way, a predictive model for availability is built for the collaboration session candidates. The candidates are notified of the opportunity window for scheduling of the collaboration session.

Abstract: Architecture for enabling a group of contacts of a communications framework to be tagged for concurrent availability and participation in a communications session. The status of the contacts is monitored to detect availability of the contacts, and to determine when the contacts are available concurrently to participate in the communications session. A notification is sent to a tagging user of the concurrent availability of the contacts, at which time a meeting can be initiated. A context can be input that serves as a reminder as to the purpose of the communications session. The context can be presented in the notification with the availability status of the contacts. The status can be monitored by subscribing to presence information of the contacts. A contact list can be maintained to identify the contacts to be tagged and includes metadata related to each contact.

Abstract: The method makes use of a given ontology to select keywords representative of a given document. The method finds all the terms in an ontology that occur in a document, and computes their frequency of occurrences in the document. The method then propagates these values from the leaves upwards to the root of the ontology during which it weights them. The method then selects a subset of terms of the ontology structure as keywords representative of the document based on these weights.

Abstract: Described herein is the method and apparatus for generating symmetrical level shifted signals by a symmetrical level shifter. The symmetrical level shifter comprises an edge detector operable to generate transition edge based pulses from an input signal based on a first power supply level; a voltage level shifter, coupled with the edge detector, operable to convert the transition edge based pulses based on the first power supply level to edge based pulses based on a second power supply level; and a divider circuit, coupled with the voltage level shifter, operable to generate an output signal from the edge based pulses based on the second power supply level.

Abstract: An approach is provided for managed instant communication (or chat)-based customer support services. Data communication is received, at a customer service platform, from a customer requesting assistance. An instant communication session is established between the customer and an agent at the customer service platform. Speech-to-text conversion operation is activated for the agent, wherein the agent corresponds during the instant communication session by speech. Agent speech correspondence is converted during the instant communication session to text data. Agent correspondence is transmitted to the customer as text data.

Abstract: A system including a reference data server that stores a first set of data used in the plurality of processes, a load balancer that reconfigures the transactional data, a first stage processing system and a second stage processing system. The first stage processing system includes one or more first processing modules that execute at least one process of a first set of the plurality of processes on the reconfigured transactional data to generate first stage processed transactional data, each of the one or more first processing modules comprising an in-memory cache that stores a second set of data used in the at least one process, and a first stage data storage system that stores the first stage processed transactional data.

Abstract: Architecture that provides synchronization of delegation permissions between discrete delegation models. For example, the synchronization of the delegation permissions (of a delegator and delegatee) can be performed between a delegation component of a scheduling system and a delegation component of a conferencing system such that the delegatee not only accesses the scheduling system on behalf of the delegator but also the conferencing system on behalf of the delegator. A synchronization component synchronizes the delegation permissions between the server systems (delegation components). Once synchronized, the delegatee administers the communications session, based on on-behalf-of information is validated, the delegatee can then establish the communications session.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for controlling access to a password protected resource are provided. More specifically, different communication profiles can be mapped to a single user and that user can utilize a single password to gain access to the password protected resource using any one of his/her communication profiles. Each communication profile may have a unique authentication value associated therewith, but each unique authentication value may be determined based on the single password, thereby eliminating the need for a user to remember multiple passwords for each of his/her communication profiles.

Abstract: A sectioning device including a frame having a cutter deck with an opening disposed therethrough; a removable insert having an opening disposed therethrough, the removable insert positioned above the opening of the cutter deck such that the opening of the removable insert and the opening of the cutter deck are concentrically aligned; a cutter removably positioned on the removable insert; a press assembly positioned on the frame for pushing an item against and through the cutter; and an activator moving at least one of the cutter and the press assembly between a neutral position and a sectioning position in a single continuous motion, the press assembly and the cutter configured such that the item is sectioned upon movement from the neutral position to the sectioning position.

Abstract: A search technology generates recommendations with minimal user data and participation, and provides better interpretation of user data, such as popularity, thus obtaining breadth and quality in recommendations. It is sensitive to the semantic content of natural language terms and lets users briefly describe the intended recipient (i.e., interests, eccentricities, previously successful gifts). Based on that input, the recommendation software system and method determines the meaning of the entered terms and creatively discover connections to gift recommendations from the vast array of possibilities. The user may then make a selection from these recommendations. The search/recommendation engine allows the user to find gifts through connections that are not limited to previously available information on the Internet. Thus, interests can be connected to buying behavior by relating terms to respective items.