Abstract: A user terminal has an input for receiving a video signal, and a display for displaying to a user a video image derived from the video signal. A selection input is provided for receiving from the user at least one effect for enhancing the video image derived from the video signal. The user terminal has a rendering device for rendering on the display the video image derived from the video signal enhanced by the selected effect.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system is provided to prevent VoIP spam. The system may store call data that is associated with a call to a phone number made over a Public Switched Telephone Network. Subsequently, the system may accept an Internet Protocol telephony connection in response to verification of a demonstrated knowledge of the call. The demonstrated knowledge of the call may be verified based on the call data.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide an application (i.e. “app”) hyperlink that is configured to enable transparent installation of an associated application. The app hyperlink provides a visual representation that can be selected to cause a web platform or operating system to download an application image from a platform app store, install the application, provide the user with visual feedback on the process, and once done, invoke the application by performing an “app switch” or similar operation.

Abstract: A description of a user is estimated based on the context of a user's past and present locations. A disclosed data-processing system continually receives data points for each user that represent spatial and/or temporal events. These events represent, for example, presence of a person at a specific geographic location such as a geographic area or point of interest (POI). The data-processing system evaluates the received data points in relation to one or more of the geographic locations, yielding results that are also based on the demographic characteristics of each visited location and the commercial characteristics of each visited location. The data-processing system evaluates the data points also to determine patterns exhibited in each user's activity or inactivity, and patterns exhibited in the distance traveled and the type of travel. The data-processing system bases the user descriptions on the results of these evaluations.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for detecting threats on a network. In an embodiment, target network traffic being transmitted between two or more hosts is captured. The target network traffic comprises a plurality of packets, which are assembled into one or more messages. The assembled message(s) may be parsed to generate a semantic model of the target network traffic. The semantic model may comprise representation(s) of operation(s) or event(s) represented by the message(s). Score(s) for the operation(s) or event(s) may be generated using a plurality of scoring algorithms, and potential threats among the operation(s) or event(s) may be identified using the score(s).

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to an improvement of an aeroponic system including a growth chamber and cloth support elements. The improvement generally includes a cloth supported by the cloth support elements. The cloth advantageously satisfies a wicking height parameter and an absorbance parameter so as to deliver advantageous aeroponic performance. The wicking height parameter is a measurement of an ability of the cloth or fabric to absorb moisture. The absorbance parameter is a measurement of moisture the cloth or fabric retains. Exemplary methods of aeroponic farming in an aeroponic system are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and computer program products for establishing communication events between an initiator user and a recipient user over a first communication system. The initiator and recipient users are contacts within a second communication system but are not contacts within the first communication system. For the initiator and recipient users, an association between a first user identity in the first communication system and a second user identity in the second communication system is determined. The initiator user device uses the association for the recipient user to determine the first user identity of the recipient user. A setup request to establish the communication event is sent over the first communication system from a first initiator client to a first recipient client. A communication event is authorized to proceed over the first communication system on the basis that the initiator user and the recipient user are contacts within the second communication system.

Abstract: A user terminal has an input for receiving a video signal, and a display for displaying to a user a video image derived from the video signal. A selection input is provided for receiving from the user at least one effect for enhancing the video image derived from the video signal. The user terminal has a rendering device for rendering on the display the video image derived from the video signal enhanced by the selected effect.

Abstract: A method of detecting an event anomaly includes receiving one or more data points, in which each data point represents a spatial or temporal event; associating a unique identifier with each of the one or more data points to obtain one or more individualized data points; distributing the one or more individualized data points across a grid, in which the grid includes one or more cells; determining an event likelihood ratio for one or more of the grid cells; identifying one or more event clusters, in which each event cluster includes one or more of the grid cells; and storing in a data repository an event cluster having a significance level above a threshold significance level.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for presenting possible check-in venues to a mobile device user, such as for the purpose of checking in with social networking services such as Foursquare. The disclosed technique operates by training a model during an initial training sequence. The trained model, representing a learned hypothesis, describes venues that are ranked according to their relevance to users who are also described by the model. During a subsequent run-time sequence, the system receives real-time geolocation data that represents users, wherein the data includes user geolocation and the level of accuracy of the geolocation. The system generates a set of candidate venues, ranks the generated candidate venues by applying the learned hypothesis, which can be dependent on the level of accuracy, and presents the user with the ranked venues as possible check-in venues. The user can then select the venue actually being checked into from the presented check-in venues.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for ranking venues and for providing a user with one or more of the ranked venues. To do so, a data processing system trains a model during a first, training sequence, by using a training dataset of past check-ins that were made by users visiting venues. The trained model, representing a learned hypothesis, represents venues that are ranked according to their relevance to users who are also represented by the model. During a second, run-time sequence, the system receives real-time geolocation data that represents users and generates a set of candidate venues for a user by determining venues that are nearby the geolocation of the user. The system then ranks the generated candidate venues by applying the learned hypothesis. One or more of the ranked venues can be provided to a user's wireless terminal, for example, where they can be presented as venue recommendations.

Abstract: A description of a user is estimated based on the context of the user's travel pattern. A disclosed data-processing system continually receives data points originating from the user's cell phone, for example, wherein each data point represents a visit by the user to a particular geolocation, at a particular time. The system then partitions the received data points into groups, wherein the groups represent the different places that the user has visited. The system counts how many data points are in each group. Based on the number of data points in each group, as well as the number of groups, the system then determines the entropy of the received data points that correspond to the particular user, which is also regarded as the entropy of the user's travel pattern. The data-processing system then estimates a user description for the user, based at least in part on the determined user entropy.

Abstract: A description of a user is estimated based on the context of a user's past and present locations. A disclosed data-processing system continually receives data points for each user that represent spatial and/or temporal events. These events represent, for example, presence of a person at a specific geographic location such as a geographic area or point of interest (POI). The data-processing system evaluates the received data points in relation to one or more of the geographic locations, yielding results that are also based on the demographic characteristics of each visited location and the commercial characteristics of each visited location. The data-processing system evaluates the data points also to determine patterns exhibited in each user's activity or inactivity, and patterns exhibited in the distance traveled and the type of travel. The data-processing system bases the user descriptions on the results of these evaluations.

Abstract: Methods and systems of authorizing a user of a first packet-based communication network to access a second packet-based communication network are disclosed. A call setup request is received from a user terminal of the user at a first network element of the first packet-based communication network, the authorization request comprising a first user identity. Responsive to the call setup request, a request is transmitted to create a second user identity from the first network element to a second network element of the second packet-based communication network. The second network element creates the second user identity for use in the second packet-based communication network. The second user identity is derivable from the first user identity according to a predetermined rule. The second user identity is stored in the second packet-based communication network for use with establishing a call associated with the call setup request over the second packet-based communication network.

Abstract: A method for creating, modifying, and terminating connections between Internet end systems, particularly, although not exclusively, for Internet telephony communication. The method relies on several request messages sent between a client and a server and the response messages sent back in response. Each request and response message may contain one or more header fields which modify or more uniquely link the messages with a given connection. On this basis, advanced telephony services, such as call forwarding, call transferring, and multiparty conferencing are provided.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system is provided to restrict VoIP communication. The system may validate a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call initiation message based on demonstrated knowledge of a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) call.

Abstract: Methods and systems of authorising a user of a first packet-based communication network to access a second packet-based communication network are disclosed. A call setup request is received from a user terminal of the user at a first network element of the first packet-based communication network, the authorisation request comprising a first user identity. Responsive to the call setup request, a request is transmitted to create a second user identity from the first network element to a second network element of the second packet-based communication network. The second network element creates the second user identity for use in the second packet-based communication network. The second user identity is derivable from the first user identity according to a predetermined rule. The second user identity is stored in the second packet-based communication network for use with establishing a call associated with the call setup request over the second packet-based communication network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus may verify an identity of a destination Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) call agent for a destination telephone number based on demonstrated knowledge of at least one public switched telephone network (PSTN) call initiated to the destination telephone number. The apparatus may also receive the identity of the destination VoIP call agent based on the demonstrated knowledge of the at least one PSTN call initiated to the destination telephone number.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus may receive at least one call attribute of a public switched telephone network (PSTN) call initiated to a destination telephone number. The apparatus may verify a destination Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) call agent for the destination telephone number based on demonstrated knowledge of the PSTN call. The apparatus may transmit an indication the destination VoIP call agent is verified for the destination telephone number.

Abstract: A system for verifying VoIP call routing information. The system may include an apparatus integrated with a private branch exchange (PBX). The apparatus may store at least one call attribute of a public switched telephone network (PSTN) call initiated to a destination telephone number. The apparatus may verify a destination Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) call agent for the destination telephone number based on demonstrated knowledge of the PSTN call. The apparatus may route a new call either over a VoIP network to the destination VoIP call agent or over a circuit switched network based on whether the destination VoIP call agent is verified for the destination telephone number.