Abstract: A method and apparatus for abstracting telephony functions is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a terminal device having a User Interface (UI) element that presents a plurality of Graphical User Interface (GUI) elements that abstract a corresponding plurality of telephony functions, and a telephony element that initiates a telephony process in response to a selection by an end user of the terminal device of two or more of the plurality of GUI elements to form a combined telephony function. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of providing interactive video content is presented that includes receiving video content from a video content source. An initial interactive content indicator is encoded within a closed-captioning portion of the video content at the video content source. The method also includes selecting a substitute uniform resource locator (URL) associated with interactive content related to the video content. Further, the method includes replacing the initial interactive content indicator with the substitute URL within the closed-captioning portion of the video content.

Abstract: A fan casing for a turbofan engine including an annular casing component of composite material including a body portion having an outwardly directed stiffening flange at one end, the stiffening flange being connected to the body portion by a radially outwardly stepped region, the fan casing also including a metallic ring which is coaxial with the annular casing component, the metallic ring being situated at least partially within the stepped region and being secured to the annular casing component.

Abstract: Example modular optical network terminals (ONTs) and methods to implement the same are disclosed. A disclosed example ONT includes a base unit having an integral optical interface to optically couple the ONT to an optical network, and to convert an optical signal received from the optical network to form an electrical signal, a plug-in service module to distribute the electrical signal within a customer premises, and a modular interface connector configured to receive the plug-in service module and to couple the electrical signal from the base unit to the plug-in service module.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a third party video content database is coupled to an IPTV network. The IPTV network includes a plurality of set top boxes (STBs). The third party video content database is mapped to the IPTV network via an IP address of the third party content database, and it is associated with an assigned channel on the IPTV network. One or more STBs of the IPTV network have access to the assigned channel.

Abstract: A particular method includes extracting, at a computing device, uniform resource locator data from closed-captioning content. The method further includes receiving, at the computing device, user settings via a network interface. The user settings include an organizational preference corresponding to the uniform resource locator data. The method also includes generating, at the computing device, a web page that includes a portion of the uniform resource locator data as selectable links. The selectable links are organized according to the organizational preference.

Abstract: The present invention provides presence management to a multimodal communication network. A unified messaging system, providing the ability to deliver messages across multiple modes of communication, is integrated with a presence managing system. The presence management system provides an ability to locate a recipient of a message according to a stored schedule. The unified messaging system retrieves contact information from a presence management system. Upon received the message, the recipient can respond along the established line of communication. Multiple modes of communication comprises telephone, wireless telephone, electronic mail, pager, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), video, audio, picture, among others.

Abstract: A method includes providing a user interface to a set-top box. The user interface facilitates an association of an audio indicator with a channel selection action. The method includes receiving, via the user interface at the set-top box, a first user input indicating an association of a selected audio indicator with a selected channel selection action. The method also includes providing the selected audio indicator for audible output via the set-top box in response to receiving a second user input corresponding to the selected channel selection action.

Abstract: A system is disclose including but not limited to a processor in data communication with a non-transitory computer readable medium; a computer program stored in the computer readable medium, the computer program including but not limited to instructions to send from a first client device to a server, data indicating a first list designating a first group of video conference participants' end user devices' addresses; and instructions to send from the client device to the server, a first video conference data, the first video conference data to be sent from the server over a single video conference channel in the video system to first group of video conference participants' end user devices addresses, wherein each of a plurality of groups of end user devices receives a different one of a plurality of video conferences data over a single video conference channel.

Abstract: Techniques for Internet Protocol (IP) video integration within a home viewing network are provided. Locally acquired IP video content is assigned a channel on a television (TV). The assigned channel is associated with a same source input of the TV that includes other channels that present externally acquired TV programming content. The TV programming content and the local IP video content can both be accessed on a TV over the same source input via references to appropriately assigned channels.

Abstract: A method includes receiving user input indicating a selection of a first multimedia channel from a set of multimedia channels for display. The method further includes determining a first user-selected audio indicator associated with the first multimedia channel. The method additionally includes providing the first audio indicator for audible output in response to receiving the user input indicating the selection of the first multimedia channel. Another method includes providing a user interface to facilitate an association of one or more audio indicators with one or more corresponding channel selection actions.

Abstract: A particular method includes extracting uniform resource locator data from closed-captioning content using a set-top box. The closed-captioning content is included in a broadcast signal received by the set-top box. The method includes generating a web page using the set-top box. The web page includes a portion of the uniform resource data as one or more selectable links. A check box is associated with each of the one or more selectable links. The web page includes a first selectable option to enable each selectable link associated with a checked check box to be added to a uniform resource locator address book. The method also includes sending the web page from the set-top box via a local area network to a device coupled to the set-top box by the local area network in response to a request from the device for the web page.

Abstract: A method includes receiving data associated with a plurality of multimedia channels. The data includes a multimedia channel numbering set. The method includes presenting the data at a display device communicatively coupled to the set-top box device via an electronic programming guide that includes an option to customize the electronic programming guide by genre. The method includes receiving a selection of one or more genres and a particular multimedia content source. The method includes automatically replacing the multimedia channel numbering set with a renumbered multimedia channel numbering set. Multimedia channels that are associated with the one or more selected genres and that are associated with the particular multimedia content source are assigned a lower channel number in the renumbered multimedia channel numbering set than other multimedia channels that are associated with the one or more selected genres and that are associated with other multimedia content sources.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that include receiving packet-based data at residential gateway from a service provider unit. In one embodiment, a location of a residential gateway is determined and at least a portion of the packet-based data is transmitted wirelessly to the residential gateway when the residential gateway is at an approved location.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a cellular zone is disclosed. A communication link connects a cellular base station and a wireless access point. A typical communication link can be a wire-based communication network, such as the Internet, using IP telephony protocol. The wireless access point communicates with a cell phone over a cellular frequency and thereby establishes the cellular zone. Where the area of the cellular zone and the coverage area of the cellular base station overlap, continuous arbitration is performed to select a communications channel. The strength of a first signal received from the cellular base station is compared to the strength of a second signal received from the wireless access point. Selection criteria include signal strength and a time-oriented criteria to maintain continuity of communication channel.

Abstract: A computerized system and method for distributing video conference data over an internet protocol television (IPTV) system are disclosed including structures and methods for allocating an IPTV video conference channel to groups of video conference participants' set top boxes (STBs), accessing STB data at the server indicating a group of video conference participants' STBs in the groups of video conference participants' STBs, the group of STBs being associated with one video conference data, mapping at the server, the video conference channel to the group of video conference participants' STBs and to one IP address for the one of the video conferences data, and delivering from the server over the video conference channel from a first one of the of IP addresses, the first one of the video conferences data to the first group of video conference participants' STBs.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for segregating transactions in a multimode communication device. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device (102) has a controller (206) for managing operations of a wireless transceiver (202) that supports a plurality of access technologies. The controller can be programmed to update (301) a phonebook stored in the communication device, wherein each entry in the phonebook comprises a calling number and one among a plurality of account designations, and submit (344) the phonebook to a network management system (110) for segregating (514) billing of incoming and outgoing calls directed to and from the communication device on each of the access technologies according to a corresponding account designation retrieved (510) from the phonebook according to said calls.

Abstract: A method includes receiving first, second, and third content streams at a first device via a distribution system. The second content stream is selected by a second device and the third content stream is selected by a third device. The method also includes sending data to a display device to concurrently present the first, second, and third content streams and first, second, and third regions, respectively. A content control and buffer module is instructed to request a fourth content stream in response to receiving a request made at the second device. The method further includes sending data to the display device to display the fourth content stream in the first region. In response to the request, the first content stream replaces the second content stream in the second region.

Abstract: A system includes an interface to receive a signal associated with a call from a first communication device to a second communication device. The system also includes a call suspension mechanism to suspend the call. The system further includes a call disposition engine to send an electronic mail message associated with the suspended call to a device identified by a subscriber address.

Abstract: According to a first aspect there is provided a method for associating a file that contains the image with a second file that is identified by input received at a set-top box from a user. According to a second aspect there is provided a method for capturing an image that is displayed on a display device that is associated with the set-top box; and communicating the image over a network. According to a third aspect there is provided a method for adjusting a frame that is displayed on a display device that is associated with the set-top box; capturing an image that is displayed inside the frame on the display device; and processing the image. According to a fourth aspect there is provided a method for capturing an image displayed on a display device associated with the set-top box; associating the image with a rule; and processing the rule to prevent the image from being printed.