Abstract: An interactive information distribution system that facilitates automatic transmission of a variety of information packets to the communication devices of a calling party and parties called during a call. The information packets are comprised of actual files and or links to files or websites, and are automatically transmitted following the initiation of a call. Upon initiating a call, an indicator that may include metadata linked to information packets is processed to identify at least one database for locating information packets to which the metadata is linked. The interactive information distribution system also includes a verbal communication conversion engine that allows verbal telephone communications to be converted to text and filtered to generate keywords which are used in additional database searching to identify additional information packets.

Abstract: Techniques for secure federation of data communications networks are provided. The techniques employ an edge proxy server to route messages depending on a federation mode. In Direct federation mode, an edge proxy server of a network is configured to exchange messages with a specified set of entities, such as other networks, servers, other devices, or users. In Automatic federation mode, an edge proxy server may accept all incoming messages from entities that have a valid certificate. In Clearinghouse federation mode, the edge proxy server forwards all outgoing messages to a specified, trusted clearinghouse server.

Abstract: A method and system for aggregating presence information generated by multiple devices associated with a single user is presented. A server acting as a presence agent on behalf of a first user and the first user's computing device receives and responds to a subscription request generated by a computing device operated by a second user that wishes to be permitted as a watcher of the first user. If the server is not capable of acting as a presence agent, then the first user's computing device assumes the role of a presence agent.

Abstract: An interactive information distribution system that facilitates automatic transmission of a variety of information packets to the communication devices of a calling party and parties called during a call. The information packets are comprised of actual files and or links to files or websites, and are automatically transmitted following the initiation of a call. Upon initiating a call, an indicator that may include metadata linked to information packets is processed to identify at least one database for locating information packets to which the metadata is linked. The interactive information distribution system also includes a verbal communication conversion engine that allows verbal telephone communications to be converted to text and filtered to generate keywords which are used in additional database searching to identify additional information packets.

Abstract: A distributed authentication model that operates within a protocol-based sphere of trust. Rather than being able to communicate with any one of the computing systems internal to the sphere of trust, the amount of authentication is reduced by having the external computing systems initially communicate with a specific edge internal computing system. Many if not all of the internal computing systems then delegate the task of authentication to the edge computing system, and will rely on any authentication performed by the edge computing system. This allows the task of authentication to scale well for large protocol-based spheres of trust.

Abstract: Techniques for secure federation of data communications networks are provided. The techniques employ an edge proxy server to route messages depending on a federation mode. In Direct federation mode, an edge proxy server of a network is configured to exchange messages with a specified set of entities, such as other networks, servers, other devices, or users. In Automatic federation mode, an edge proxy server may accept all incoming messages from entities that have a valid certificate. In Clearinghouse federation mode, the edge proxy server forwards all outgoing messages to a specified, trusted clearinghouse server.

Abstract: A method and system for aggregating presence information generated by multiple devices associated with a single user is presented. A server acting as a presence agent on behalf of a first user and the first user's computing device receives and responds to a subscription request generated by a computing device operated by a second user that wishes to be permitted as a watcher of the first user. If the server is not capable of acting as a presence agent, then the first user's computing device assumes the role of a presence agent.

Abstract: A distributed authentication model that operates within a protocol-based sphere of trust. Rather than being able to communicate with any one of the computing systems internal to the sphere of trust, the amount of authentication is reduced by having the external computing systems initially communicate with a specific edge internal computing system. Many if not all of the internal computing systems then delegate the task of authentication to the edge computing system, and will rely on any authentication performed by the edge computing system. This allows the task of authentication to scale well for large protocol-based spheres of trust.

Abstract: Techniques for secure federation of data communications networks are provided. The techniques employ an edge proxy server to route messages depending on a federation mode. In Direct federation mode, an edge proxy server of a network is configured to exchange messages with a specified set of entities, such as other networks, servers, other devices, or users. In Automatic federation mode, an edge proxy server may accept all incoming messages from entities that have a valid certificate. In Clearinghouse federation mode, the edge proxy server forwards all outgoing messages to a specified, trusted clearinghouse server.

Abstract: End-to-end authentication capability based on public-key certificates is combined with the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to allow a SIP node that receives a SIP request message to authenticate the sender of request. The SIP request message is sent with a digital signature generated with a private key of the sender and may include a certificate of the sender. The SIP request message my also be encrypted with a public key of the recipient. After receiving the SIP request, the receiving SIP node obtains a certificate of the sender and authenticates the sender based on the digital signature. The digital signature may be included in an Authorization header of the SIP request, or in a multipart message body constructed according to the S/MIME standard.

Abstract: A method and system for configuring a client computer for real-time communication is provided, in which configuration settings are sent to the computer in the form of a configuration document, such as mark-up language document, that is readable by the client computer. The client computer may request the configuration document on an as-needed basis, or may request to be notified whenever new configuration settings are needed.

Abstract: Handling an incoming call from a caller to a user includes prompting a caller to record a message to the user and sending a special command to a user communication device indicting that the incoming call is available for screening and retrieving. In response to the user indicating a desire to screen the incoming call, the user listens to the message while the caller is leaving the message. In response to the user indicating a desire to retrieve the incoming call, the call is transferred to the user communication device. In response to the user indicating a desire to screen the call, an incoming media stream from the incoming call may be forked so that the message is being recorded while the user is listening to the message at the user communication device.

Abstract: Stateless human detection for real-time systems allows a real-time message system to challenge incoming messages suspected of being generated by an automated application. When a suspect message is detected, a challenge is presented to a sender of the message. The challenge is designed to require human intervention to provide a correct answer to the challenge. A challenge packet is sent with the challenge and includes a challenge answer and, possibly, a server identifier, a challenge identifier and/or a time stamp that can be used to prevent attacks on the challenge. The challenge packet is encrypted so that the sender cannot access the contents thereof. When the sender provides a response to the challenge, the sender returns the challenge packet. The challenge packet is decrypted and the challenge answer is compared to a sender answer. If the answers match, the sender is allowed subsequent access to the messaging system.

Abstract: A system for detecting and communicating the presence of one or more computing devices is presented. The invention also presents a method and system for aggregating presence information generated by multiple devices associated with a single user. A server acting as a presence agent on behalf of a first user receives and responds to a subscription request generated by a computing device operated by a second wishing to be permitted as a watcher of the first user. When the second user corresponds to access preferences of the first user, a notify message is sent to the second user's device that includes presence information indicative of an activity level and availability level associated with the first user. When the first user employs multiple computing devices, the server generates an aggregate presence document that is representative of the overall presence of the first user.

Abstract: A system for detecting and communicating the presence of one or more computing devices is presented. The invention also presents a method and system for aggregating presence information generated by multiple devices associated with a single user. A server acting as a presence agent on behalf of a first user receives and responds to a subscription request generated by a computing device operated by a second user that wishes to be permitted as a watcher of the first user. When the second user corresponds to access preferences specified by the first user, a notify message is sent to the second user's device that includes presence information indicative of an activity level and availability level associated with the first user. When the first user employs multiple computing devices, the server generates an aggregate presence document that is representative of the overall presence of the first user.

Abstract: Techniques for secure federation of data communications networks are provided. The techniques employ an edge proxy server to route messages depending on a federation mode. In Direct federation mode, an edge proxy server of a network is configured to exchange messages with a specified set of entities, such as other networks, servers, other devices, or users. In Automatic federation mode, an edge proxy server may accept all incoming messages from entities that have a valid certificate. In Clearinghouse federation mode, the edge proxy server forwards all outgoing messages to a specified, trusted clearinghouse server.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium having computer executable instructions, and a computer readable medium having stored thereon a data structure for signing and validating Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”) routing headers are disclosed. A SIP node may receive a SIP request including a message header. A signature based upon at least a portion of the message header and a SIP node header entry may be generated. The signature may then be inserted into the SIP node header entry.

Abstract: A distributed authentication model that operates within a protocol-based sphere of trust. Rather than being able to communicate with any one of the computing systems internal to the sphere of trust, the amount of authentication is reduced by having the external computing systems initially communicate with a specific edge internal computing system. Many if not all of the internal computing systems then delegate the task of authentication to the edge computing system, and will rely on any authentication performed by the edge computing system. This allows the task of authentication to scale well for large protocol-based spheres of trust.

Abstract: A system for detecting and communicating the presence of one or more computing devices is presented. The invention also presents a method and system for aggregating presence information generated by multiple devices associated with a single user. A server acting as a presence agent on behalf of a first user receives and responds to a subscription request generated by a computing device operated by a second user that wishes to be permitted as a watcher of the first user. When the second user corresponds to access preferences specified by the first user, a notify message is sent to the second user's device that includes presence information indicative of an activity level and availability level associated with the first user. When the first user employs multiple computing devices, the server generates an aggregate presence document that is representative of the overall presence of the first user.

Abstract: A system for detecting and communicating the presence of one or more computing devices is presented. The invention also presents a method and system for aggregating presence information generated by multiple devices associated with a single user. A server acting as a presence agent on behalf of a first user receives and responds to a subscription request generated by a computing device operated by a second wishing to be permitted as a watcher of the first user. When the second user corresponds to access preferences of the first user, a notify message is sent to the second user's device that includes presence information indicative of an activity level and availability level associated with the first user. When the first user employs multiple computing devices, the server generates an aggregate presence document that is representative of the overall presence of the first user.