Abstract: The illustrative embodiment describes a system that manages the energy usage of a user's appliance based on: (i) the user's location, and (ii) the user's “presence information.” The “presence information” of a user is defined as a status indicator that includes, but is not limited to: the ability and willingness of a user to communicate and a user's mood. For example, when a user is lonely and at work, the office door should open, but when the user is not lonely and at work, the user's instant messages should be shut off. The illustrative embodiment comprises: an appliance; and an energy-usage controller for de-activating an energy-consuming element of the appliance based on presence information of a user of the appliance.

Abstract: Described are embodiments for providing real time feedback during communication between a customer and a contact center agent to allow a bad customer experience to be mitigated. Embodiments include a system that can identify and mitigate issues that may arise during the communication between the customer and the customer agent including a customer agent's performance, escalation to a supervisor, materials shared with the customer, wait time experience and/or other aspects of the communication. The feedback is provided while the customer and agent are still communicating. The feedback is linked to the specific session and agent. If an issue is identified, steps are taken to mitigate the issue.

Abstract: The middleware presented herein maps a plurality of application user interfaces to a single user experience (i.e. user interface) so that a user is more comfortable with how information is presented. The middleware maps key elements of an original user interface into a standard user interface on a user's device. When a user interface is mapped, information or data is taken from the original user interface and is reconfigured to create the standard user interface displayed to the user. In embodiments, the middleware receives data associated with a user interface for an application, interprets the received data, parses the data, translates the parsed data by determining the correct template map and mapping the parsed data to a standard user interface, and configures the standard user interface with the translated data.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that enables the monitoring of a diverse set of both real-time and non-real-time communication streams, as well as the aggregation of information related to those streams into a collective dialog. A server of the illustrative embodiment continually performs an aggregation of events that are related to media streams, applications, and presenter and participant actions, into a particular scope of communication. Index entries, which are indicia to events, are created by things that presenters and participants are doing already, such as posting a meeting agenda inviting participants, posting a presentation or document, transitioning from one slide or page to another, participants speaking alternately during a meeting or presentation, and so forth. The server uses the indicia to then perform processing across information flows associated with the communication streams.

Abstract: A method that allows a user to have his or her telecommunications terminal automatically monitor one or more teleconferences so that he or she participates in the relevant portions of a teleconference without the disadvantages associated with the prior art is described. The illustrative embodiment teaches a method that can monitor one or more teleconferences and determines when there is a discussion that is relevant to the user. At that point, the user is automatically joined to the teleconference bridge where the teleconference is taking place.

Abstract: A method is disclosed which allows an invitee to a conference call, who is not present on at least part of the call, to have the call monitored in his or her absence. The invitee is offered the opportunity to review, ahead of the call, one or more electronic documents that are pertinent to the call. The invitee can specify one or more pointers for the purpose of identifying positions that correspond to portions of the document that are relevant to the invitee. When a relevant portion of an electronic document has been reached or is soon to be reached during the call, a message is transmitted to the absent invitee. Additionally, the invitee can annotate slides or portions of an electronic document with comments that he or she wants addressed during the conference call. A message is subsequently transmitted to the invitee, providing responses to the comments left earlier.

Abstract: Described are embodiments for providing real time feedback during communication between a customer and a contact center agent to allow a bad customer experience to be mitigated. Embodiments include a system that can identify and mitigate issues that may arise during the communication between the customer and the customer agent including a customer agent's performance, escalation to a supervisor, materials shared with the customer, wait time experience and/or other aspects of the communication. The feedback is provided while the customer and agent are still communicating. The feedback is linked to the specific session and agent. If an issue is identified, steps are taken to mitigate the issue.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method for hosting: (i) a first conference call on a first teleconferencing bridge from time tA to time tB, and (ii) a second conference call on the first teleconferencing bridge from time tB to time tC. When a teleconferencing manager receives a request from a telecommunications terminal at time tD to connect to the second conference call, the teleconferencing manager determines whether the request received at time tD is greater than or less than time tB. If the request received at time tD from the telecommunications terminal is greater than time tB, then the telecommunications terminal is connected to the first teleconferencing bridge. On the other hand, if the request from the telecommunications terminal received at time tD is less than time tB, then the telecommunications terminal is connected to a third conference call on a second teleconferencing bridge.

Abstract: An external network is crawled (searched) to identify issues that may exist in the external network. Once an issue is identified, internal networks are crawled to determine one or more experts on the issue. A social network of the one or more experts is created. This way, the experts can quickly address the issue. As part of the creation of the social network, a template can be created that contains the issue, sub-issues associated with the issue, a ranking of the issues/sub-issues, and a form that allows the experts to interact and address the issue/sub-issues. In addition, the identified experts can be refined based on their availability to address the issue. The template can provide the ability to respond to users of the external networks in a manner consistent with the external networks.

Abstract: Conference participant finder methods and apparatuses are provided. The conference participant finder maintains a record of expected conference participants. After the scheduled start time of a conference, expected conference participants are automatically contacted and reminded to join the conference. The contact address used to contact an expected conference participant can be obtained with reference to presence information. In addition, information regarding the status of conference participants can be displayed to a conference host.

Abstract: The middleware presented herein maps a plurality of application user interfaces to a single user experience (i.e. user interface) so that a user is more comfortable with how information is presented. The middleware maps key elements of an original user interface into a standard user interface on a user's device. When a user interface is mapped, information or data is taken from the original user interface and is reconfigured to create the standard user interface displayed to the user. In embodiments, the middleware receives data associated with a user interface for an application, interprets the received data, parses the data, translates the parsed data by determining the correct template map and mapping the parsed data to a standard user interface, and configures the standard user interface with the translated data.

Abstract: A teleconference system that monitors the activity levels of one or more attendees of a teleconference and, based on that monitoring, provides information about attendees who are active participants and attendees who are passive listeners. The information includes evaluative feedback or a conference roster that is ordered based on the activity levels of the attendees, or both. Furthermore, the teleconference system takes into account that the potential invitees to a teleconference being scheduled can be different from one another in terms of their importance to a teleconference being scheduled, or in terms of the relevance of the teleconference to those invitees. The system is also able to consider the activity levels that are reported for a teleconference in progress when the system schedules a new teleconference.

Abstract: An activity stream is created in a first medium. The activity stream is a mechanism where participants can collaborate on a subject. Participants are added to the activity stream. A participant in the activity stream initiates a communication in a second medium. The status of the communication is determined. If the status of the communication is active, the status of the communication is indicated in the activity stream. The status can be information that is parsed from the communication, an invitation to join the communication, a link to a recording of the communication, a link to the communication, a conversion of a voice communication to text, an indication to create a second communication in a second medium, and the like. How participants interact can be controlled by default parameters or based on a profile.

Abstract: A method of enabling a user of an instant messaging client to forward an audio recording to another person via his or her instant messaging client is disclosed. The recipient's instant messaging client then inquires whether the recipient would like to hear the audio recording immediately. If the recipient answers yes, then the audio recording is played for the recipient through the instant messaging client. In contrast, if the user answers no, or is “unavailable,” or does not answer at all, the instant messaging client forwards the audio recording a voice mailbox associated with the recipient for later retrieval in well-known fashion via a telephone. This invention is particularly advantageous when the recipient is engaged in a telephone call when the audio recording arrives because it enables the recipient to hear the message immediately and without having to access the voice mail system while engaged in call.

Abstract: An automated, or semi-automated system that manages conference attendance to the parties who are really necessary based on, for example, one or more of participation and feedback during previous conference call(s) (and/or on a current call) and the ability to load a thick client for facilitating and coordinating non-verbal communications between conference participants. It could be advantageous for a conference participant to have the ability to indicate non-verbally their interest the conference, rather than disrupt the meeting, thus adding to productivity. It could also add to the utility if a conference coordinator or host could easily keep a record of why attendees drop from the conference, and intelligently apply this record to future scheduling. Another exemplary advantage is to set-up a pre-canned message and coordinate delivery of such messages about participation, interest, and/or status between two or more members (including the host) of the conference call.

Abstract: An external network is crawled (searched) to identify issues that may exist in the external network. Once an issue is identified, internal networks are crawled to determine one or more experts on the issue. A social network of the one or more experts is created. This way, the experts can quickly address the issue. As part of the creation of the social network, a template can be created that contains the issue, sub-issues associated with the issue, a ranking of the issues/sub-issues, and a form that allows the experts to interact and address the issue/sub-issues. In addition, the identified experts can be refined based on their availability to address the issue. The template can provide the ability to respond to users of the external networks in a manner consistent with the external networks.

Abstract: A teleconference system is disclosed that monitors the activity levels of one or more attendees of a teleconference and, based on that monitoring, provides information about attendees who are active participants and attendees who are passive listeners. The information includes evaluative feedback or a conference roster that is ordered based on the activity levels of the attendees, or both. Furthermore, the teleconference system takes into account that the potential invitees to a teleconference being scheduled can be different from one another in terms of their importance to a teleconference being scheduled, or in terms of the relevance of the teleconference to those invitees. The system is also able to consider the activity levels that are reported for a teleconference in progress when the system schedules a new teleconference.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that enables the monitoring of a diverse set of both real-time and non-real-time communication streams, as well as the aggregation of information related to those streams into a collective dialog. A server of the illustrative embodiment continually performs an aggregation of events that are related to media streams, applications, and presenter and participant actions, into a particular scope of communication. Index entries, which are indicia to events, are created by things that presenters and participants are doing already, such as posting a meeting agenda inviting participants, posting a presentation or document, transitioning from one slide or page to another, participants speaking alternately during a meeting or presentation, and so forth. The server uses the indicia to then perform processing across information flows associated with the communication streams.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method for hosting: (i) a first conference call on a first teleconferencing bridge from time tA to time tB, and (ii) a second conference call on the first teleconferencing bridge from time tB to time tC. When a teleconferencing manager receives a request from a telecommunications terminal at time tD to connect to the second conference call, the teleconferencing manager determines whether the request received at time tD is greater than or less than time tB. If the request received at time tD from the telecommunications terminal is greater than time tB, then the telecommunications terminal is connected to the first teleconferencing bridge. On the other hand, if the request from the telecommunications terminal received at time tD is less than time tB, then the telecommunications terminal is connected to a third conference call on a second teleconferencing bridge.

Abstract: A method is disclosed which allows an invitee to a conference call, who is not present on at least part of the call, to have the call monitored in his or her absence. The invitee is offered the opportunity to review, ahead of the call, one or more electronic documents that are pertinent to the call. The invitee can specify one or more pointers for the purpose of identifying positions that correspond to portions of the document that are relevant to the invitee. When a relevant portion of an electronic document has been reached or is soon to be reached during the call, a message is transmitted to the absent invitee. Additionally, the invitee can annotate slides or portions of an electronic document with comments that he or she wants addressed during the conference call. A message is subsequently transmitted to the invitee, providing responses to the comments left earlier.