Abstract: A payment card information system according to one embodiment of the invention includes a card reader that scans a payment card and a display device that displays account information items. The payment card information system further includes an information terminal in communication with the card reader and the display device. The information terminal is configured to receive verification data from the card reader, verify the payment card using the verification data, receive an action code from the card reader, obtain one or more predetermined account information items corresponding to the action code, and display the one or more predetermined account information items on the display device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forwarding message packets over a network having at least one dedicated priority route. The priority messages are identified and only those priority messages having a length less than or equal to a threshold message length are transmitted over the priority route.

Abstract: A wireless local area network (WLAN) is linked with a remote LAN to transport data packets therebetween. The WLAN includes a cellular-enabled WLAN device for communicating with a cellular network and the cellular network includes a bridge. A bridge identifier associated with the bridge is established within the cellular network. The cellular-enabled WLAN device and the remote LAN are interconnected with the bridge in response to the cellular-enabled device signaling the cellular network with the bridge identifier. The cellular-enabled WLAN device echoes WLAN network packets originating in the WLAN to the bridge. The remote LAN receives the echoed WLAN network packets from the bridge. Packets originating in the remote LAN are echoed by the bridge to the cellular-enabled WLAN device. The cellular-enabled WLAN device receives the echoed remote LAN network packets from the bridge and transmits them within the WLAN.

Abstract: A programmable control unit interacts with a physical system. The physical system has a public network interface for communicating with remote computer systems. A user computer system is located remotely from the programmable control unit. A front-end security gateway is located remotely from the programmable control unit, wherein the front-end security gateway communicates with the user computer system to authenticate and authorize a user for access to the programmable control unit. The front-end security gateway forwards messages between the user computer system and the programmable control unit after the user is authenticated and authorized. A public communication network is coupled between the front-end security gateway and the programmable control unit to carry the forwarded messages. The public communication network includes a routing control configured to allow communication with the programmable control unit only by the front-end security gateway.

Abstract: Network transport management methods and tools are used to provide compositional service assembly and management such that processing (i.e., computing) capacity is handled in a manner analogous to handling transport quality of service. The memory, speed of operations, and input/output rates of a resource component are viewed as an aggregate bandwidth of transport. The distributed functional components of a compositional application/service are adapted to receive and process resource allocation requests. This allows the same network protocols and tools as are used for transport management to be used from a centrally located resource aggregator for composing (i.e., assembling) and allocating (i.e., assigning) computing resources with a guaranteed delivery rate. Additionally, a test message can be sent through the compositional service assembly to confirm connectivity and functionality of individual assembly components.

Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring multicasting traffic in an internetwork between a multicasting source in a first domain and a multicasting destination in a second domain. The multicasting source offers connections to a predetermined multicast stream according to predetermined multicast group information. The multicasting destination sends a join message to a router within the internetwork in order to initiate routing of the predetermined multicast stream to the multicasting destination. A notification of the joining is sent from the router to a ledger application, the notification including identifying information of the multicasting destination and the multicasting source. The multicasting source transmitting datagrams of the predetermined multicast stream to the multicasting destination via the router. The ledger application receives and logs the notification as a transaction event.

Abstract: Re-routing interactions are predicted for a communications network including a plurality of network elements. A respective device state image is constructed for each of the plurality of network elements, with each of the device state images including a failover setting of a respective one of the network elements. The device state images are transmitted to a network simulator. The performance of the communications network is simulated in response to the device state images. A prospective network element failover of a predetermined one of the network elements is transmitted to the network simulator. A performance of the communications network is simulated in response to the device state images modified by the prospective network element failover. It is then detected whether an acceptable performance is maintained in view of the prospective network element failover in order to identify whether is will be permissible to perform a maintenance action on the network element which makes it unavailable to the network.

Abstract: A telecommunication system establishes location information concurrently with the set-up of a landline as a network address for delivering wireless-based subscription services. A location register in the wireless system defines a current network location where a respective subscriber is connected and a current geographic location where said respective subscriber is located. An access device is provided for coupling with a landline within the public switched telephone network, wherein the landline has a landline ID, and wherein a user terminal connected to the landline is associated with a fixed geographic location. A control channel transmits an electronic identification number of a subscriber and a location coordinate corresponding to the fixed geographic location from the access device to the location register during registration of the landline as the current network address of the user terminal. The subscriber receives location-based wireless services via the landline.

Abstract: Pooled resources including remotely startable and stoppable computing resources are activated according to a predictive load model. The model includes alert events for providing respective resource activation levels representing either an increase or a decrease in the resource utilization model expected to occur after the respective alert events. If a detected alert event corresponds to an increase, then selected ones of the pooled resources are started. If the detected alert event corresponds to a decrease, then an actual load level is checked, and selected ones of the pooled resources are stopped if the actual load level is less than the respective resource activation level corresponding to the detected alert event.

Abstract: A voice conference bridge provides respective voice connections to a call coordinator and a plurality of call participants. A message server is coupled to the voice conference bridge for receiving DTMF tone messages from the call coordinator and the call participants and for sending data messages in a caller ID format to the call coordinator and the call participants via the voice conference bridge. The message server interacts with the call participants using a participant-initiated request channel and a server-initiated broadcast channel. A particular call participant invokes the request channel by including a predetermined tone command in a respective DTMF tone message. The particular call participant forwards a message content to the message server by including predetermined tone data in the respective DTMF tone message. The message server forwards the message content to other call participants via the broadcast channel according to an approval granted to the particular call participant.

Abstract: When the loss or theft of a mobile device is detected, script interpretation logic executes a script to disable one or more functions or the mobile device, such as personal organizer functions in the mobile device. The script may be stored locally on the mobile device, so that the mobile device detects loss or theft and then executes the local disabling script. Alternatively, the script may be stored at a service provider and may be sent to the mobile device when loss or theft of the mobile device is detected or reported. The script may, for example, include instructions to encrypt private data on the mobile device, to send the private data to a data storehouse, and/or to otherwise disable one or more of the personal organizer functions of the mobile device.

Abstract: A method of providing communication services from retail business locations. The method comprising providing wireless transceiver devices to customers of the retail business, wherein the wireless transceiver devices are configured to receive at least one of a variety of different communication services. Contracting for the plurality of different communication services from a network system by the retail business. Contracting with a wireless service provider for wireless network services to exchange the plurality of different communication services between the retail business and the wireless transceiver devices. Receiving in at least one location of the retail business, the plurality of different communication services from the network system and providing at least one of the plurality of different communication services from the retail business location to the wireless transceiver devices via a wireless network.

Abstract: A hidden pathway to a host is provided in an internetwork having an egress router coupled to the host. A selected port of the egress router is connected to the host as a hidden access port. A label table in the egress router is configured to associate the selected port with a predetermined label. Distribution of the predetermined label is restricted to one or more controlled access points so that access to the hidden pathway is restricted to the controlled access points. The controlled access points may reside at the users themselves, but are preferably contained within proxy devices coupled to the internetwork using secure connections.

Abstract: A communication system is disclosed comprising a communication network and a communication device. The communication device reads machine-readable information from a card, wherein the information on the card corresponds to data hosted by a content provider in the communication network. The communication device processes the information to locate the content provider, and transmits a request for the data and the information to the communication network. The communication network processes the information to translate the data hosted by the content provider to a format suitable for the communication device. The communication network also processes the information to handle a financial transaction for the data.

Abstract: A method of operating a communication system comprises receiving an incoming call, wherein a caller identification is associated with the incoming call, generating an alert message for the incoming call, wherein the alert message includes the caller identification, transmitting the alert message from a wireless base station to a mobile communication device, in response to the alert message, receive a response message from the mobile communication device, wherein the response message indicates a destination for the incoming call, processing the destination in the response message to generate routing instructions for the incoming call, and routing the incoming call based on the routing instructions.

Abstract: A communication system alerts wireless communication interfaces of incoming calls. The communication system includes a service control point. The service control point receives a call set-up message for an incoming call. The service control point processes the call set-up message to identify a wireless communication interface. The service control point then generates an alert message indicating the incoming call and caller information from the call set-up message. The service control point transmits the alert message to the wireless communication interface. The service control point receives a response message wherein the response message indicates a destination communication device to receive the incoming call. The service control point processes the response message to generate and transmit a routing instruction that connects the incoming call to the destination communication device.

Abstract: The present invention employs a cache for storing a large repository of digital media files (i.e., content) in a local hard drive of individual users, whereby a slower delivery mechanism can be used to add potentially wanted files to each cache in advance of any request for viewing the files. Combining a large cache size along with user and content profiling allows a target file desired by a user to be found in the cache for a great majority of file requests. Cached files are encrypted. To view a file, the user must first provide payment information to a content server in order to obtain authorization and a decryption key.

Abstract: A proxy device configured for use with a windowing Internet Protocol (IP) data network according to an embodiment of the invention includes a communication interface configured to intercept a first window of data packets transmitted from a source into the data network, transmit an acknowledgement from the proxy device to the source, and transmit the first window of data packets back into the network. The proxy device further includes a processing system configured to communicate with the communication interface, receive the first window of data packets, and generate the acknowledgement in response to the first window of data packets.

Abstract: A communication system for providing temporary wireless telephone numbers to wireless call devices. The communication system comprising a first switching system and a service control point. The first switching system is configured to receive a registration request from a wireless call device and process the registration request to generate a registration message for the service control point that includes a request registration information. The service control point is configured to receive the registration message and process the registration message to automatically assign a temporary wireless telephone number to the wireless call device.

Abstract: A secure communication channel is established between a portable computing device and a fixed public network outlet. Infrared beaming is employed wherein the IR beam is confined to an optical fiber placed between the IR beaming ports of the portable device and the fixed outlet. A portable computing device such as a PDA or a laptop PC has an infrared beaming port capable of bidirectional serial communication. A fiber optic system includes an optical fiber, a retractable spool for retaining the optical fiber, a fiber mount for mounting a first end of the optical fiber in alignment with the infrared beaming port of the portable computing device, and a terminator at a second end of the optical fiber. A public network outlet is provided in a fixed location and has an infrared data port in communication with an optical fiber connector adapted to receive the terminator.