Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for authenticating a user based on the geo-location history of a geo-location-enabled wireless device (e.g., a GPS-enabled wireless telecommunications terminal, a smart card, an RFID tag, etc.). In a first illustrative embodiment, a user of a geo-location-enabled wireless telecommunications terminal (e.g., a GPS-enabled cell phone, a GPS-enabled notebook computer, etc.) who attempts to access a restricted resource is challenged with one or more questions that are generated from the terminal's geo-location history. In a second illustrative embodiment, a user of a data-processing system who attempts to access a restricted resource is asked to provide a username Z. The user is then challenged with one or more questions that are generated from the geo-location history of a wireless device that is associated with username Z (e.g., a cell phone that belongs to the user whose username is Z, etc.).

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for determining authentication frequency (i.e., the length of time between authenticating and re-authenticating a user) and challenge type (e.g., username/password, fingerprint recognition, voice recognition, etc.) based on what software applications a user is running on a data-processing system, and how those applications are being used (e.g., what functions are used, what data is input to or output by the application, how often and for how long applications are used, what input devices and output devices are used, etc.) Advantageously, the illustrative embodiment enables authentication frequency and challenge type to be adjusted based on the likelihood of malicious activity and/or the potential cost of malicious activity, as inferred from current and past application usage. In addition, the illustrative embodiment enables selection of an authentication challenge type that is less intrusive to a user based on current application usage.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for determining authentication frequency (i.e., the length of time between authenticating and re-authenticating a user) and challenge type (e.g., username/password, fingerprint recognition, voice recognition, etc.) based on one or more environmental properties (e.g., ambient noise level, ambient luminosity, temperature, etc.), or one or more physiological properties of a user (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, etc.), or both. Advantageously, the illustrative embodiment enables authentication frequency and challenge type to be adjusted based on the likelihood of malicious activity, as inferred from these properties. In addition, the illustrative embodiment enables the authentication challenge type to be tailored to particular environmental conditions (e.g., noisy environments, dark environments, etc.).

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for determining authentication frequency (i.e., the length of time between authenticating and re-authenticating a user) and challenge type (e.g., username/password, fingerprint recognition, voice recognition, etc.) based on what software applications a user is running on a data-processing system, and how those applications are being used (e.g., what functions are used, what data is input to or output by the application, how often and for how long applications are used, what input devices and output devices are used, etc.) Advantageously, the illustrative embodiment enables authentication frequency and challenge type to be adjusted based on the likelihood of malicious activity and/or the potential cost of malicious activity, as inferred from current and past application usage. In addition, the illustrative embodiment enables selection of an authentication challenge type that is less intrusive to a user based on current application usage.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for authenticating a user based on the geo-location history of a geo-location-enabled wireless device (e.g., a GPS-enabled wireless telecommunications terminal, a smart card, an RFID tag, etc.). In a first illustrative embodiment, a user of a geo-location-enabled wireless telecommunications terminal (e.g., a GPS-enabled cell phone, a GPS-enabled notebook computer, etc.) who attempts to access a restricted resource is challenged with one or more questions that are generated from the terminal's geo-location history. In a second illustrative embodiment, a user of a data-processing system who attempts to access a restricted resource is asked to provide a username Z. The user is then challenged with one or more questions that are generated from the geo-location history of a wireless device that is associated with username Z (e.g., a cell phone that belongs to the user whose username is Z, etc.).

Abstract: System and method to provide an immersive virtual world conference environment, the method including: establishing a live virtual world conference, by use of a virtual world server; recording, in a memory coupled to the virtual world server, events related to live participants in the live virtual world conference, wherein the live participants are communicatively coupled to the virtual world server; receiving a request from a first virtual user to experience the virtual world conference at a predetermined virtual time that is different than a present real time; retrieving from the memory events related to live participants that occurred no later than the predetermined virtual time; restoring a conference state based upon the retrieved events; and providing an interaction responsive to the conference state and the first virtual user, in order to produce the immersive virtual world conference state.

Abstract: A conferencing system includes an authentication module for establishing a communication session. The communication session includes a communication interface to a plurality of participants. The conferencing system further includes a selection module for letting a participant select a leader among the plurality of participants. The conferencing system further includes a duplication module configured to provide audio and visual views of the communication session to the participant based upon audio and visual views of the communication session associated with the leader. The conferencing system further includes a recording module for storing a history of actions made by the leader in the conferencing system and letting the participant view the history of actions made by the leader and reach a present state of audio and visual views of the communication session associated with the leader.

Abstract: A method and system for allocating bandwidth among communication sessions are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes performing a first allocation to a first communication session and performing a second allocation to a second communication session. The method includes performing a reallocation of bandwidth from the first communication session to the second communication session based on a predetermined criteria.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for determining authentication frequency (i.e., the length of time between authenticating and re-authenticating a user) and challenge type (e.g., username/password, fingerprint recognition, voice recognition, etc.) based on one or more environmental properties (e.g., ambient noise level, ambient luminosity, temperature, etc.), or one or more physiological properties of a user (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, etc.), or both. Advantageously, the illustrative embodiment enables authentication frequency and challenge type to be adjusted based on the likelihood of malicious activity, as inferred from these properties. In addition, the illustrative embodiment enables the authentication challenge type to be tailored to particular environmental conditions (e.g., noisy environments, dark environments, etc.).

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for determining authentication frequency (i.e., the length of time between authenticating and re-authenticating a user) and challenge type (e.g., username/password, fingerprint recognition, voice recognition, etc.) based on what software applications a user is running on a data-processing system, and how those applications are being used (e.g., what functions are used, what data is input to or output by the application, how often and for how long applications are used, what input devices and output devices are used, etc.) Advantageously, the illustrative embodiment enables authentication frequency and challenge type to be adjusted based on the likelihood of malicious activity and/or the potential cost of malicious activity, as inferred from current and past application usage. In addition, the illustrative embodiment enables selection of an authentication challenge type that is less intrusive to a user based on current application usage.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for authenticating a user based on the geo-location history of a geo-location-enabled wireless device (e.g., a GPS-enabled wireless telecommunications terminal, a smart card, an RFID tag, etc.). In a first illustrative embodiment, a user of a geo-location-enabled wireless telecommunications terminal (e.g., a GPS-enabled cell phone, a GPS-enabled notebook computer, etc.) who attempts to access a restricted resource is challenged with one or more questions that are generated from the terminal's geo-location history. In a second illustrative embodiment, a user of a data-processing system who attempts to access a restricted resource is asked to provide a username Z. The user is then challenged with one or more questions that are generated from the geo-location history of a wireless device that is associated with username Z (e.g., a cell phone that belongs to the user whose username is Z, etc.).

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for determining authentication frequency (i.e., the length of time between authenticating and re-authenticating a user) and challenge type (e.g., username/password, fingerprint recognition, voice recognition, etc.) based on one or more environmental properties (e.g., ambient noise level, ambient luminosity, temperature, etc.), or one or more physiological properties of a user (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, etc.), or both. Advantageously, the illustrative embodiment enables authentication frequency and challenge type to be adjusted based on the likelihood of malicious activity, as inferred from these properties. In addition, the illustrative embodiment enables the authentication challenge type to be tailored to particular environmental conditions (e.g., noisy environments, dark environments, etc.).

Abstract: A method for orchestrating peer authentication during a call (e.g., a telephone call, a conference call between three or more parties, an instant messaging [IM] chat session, etc.) is disclosed. In particular, a user is first authenticated in order to participate in a call (e.g., via entering a password, etc.), and subsequently during the call the user may be peer authenticated. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, a user who participates in a call might be prompted to authenticate another user on the call based on particular events or user behavior during the call.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to mitigating peak traffic in a multimedia conference. In one aspect, one or more requests for starting a first type of conference over the network are received. Thereafter, a second type of conference is started based on predefined parameters, wherein the second type of conference consumes lower bandwidth than the first type of conference.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are disclosed for authenticating users of wireless telecommunications terminals. In particular, the present invention enables the timing and type of authentication challenges to vary based on one or more of: the user's current geo-location, the current day and time, the presence or absence of other nearby users, and the identity of any nearby users. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the re-authentication time period (i.e., the length of time between authenticating and re-authenticating a user) and the authentication challenge type (e.g., username/password, fingerprint recognition, etc.) can be determined based on these factors. The present invention is advantageous in that it enables the shortening of the re-authentication time and the selection of a more secure type of authentication challenge when it is more likely that a user's wireless telecommunications terminal might be accidentally left behind or stolen.

Abstract: A conferencing system includes an authentication module for establishing a communication session. The communication session includes a communication interface to a plurality of participants. The conferencing system further includes a selection module for letting a participant select a leader among the plurality of participants. The conferencing system further includes a duplication module configured to provide audio and visual views of the communication session to the participant based upon audio and visual views of the communication session associated with the leader. The conferencing system further includes a recording module for storing a history of actions made by the leader in the conferencing system and letting the participant view the history of actions made by the leader and reach a present state of audio and visual views of the communication session associated with the leader.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are disclosed for intelligently determining when to merge transactions to backup storage. In particular, in accordance with the illustrative embodiment, queued transactions may be merged based on a variety of criteria, including, but not limited to, one or more of the following: the number of queued transactions; the rate of growth of the number of queued transactions; the calendrical time; estimates of the time required to execute the individual transactions; a measure of importance of the individual transactions; the transaction types of the individual transactions; a measure of importance of one or more data updated by the individual transactions; a measure of availability of one or more resources; a current estimate of the time penalty associated with shadowing a page of memory; and the probability of rollback for the individual transactions, and for the merged transaction.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to mitigating peak traffic in a multimedia conference. In one aspect, one or more requests for starting a first type of conference over the network are received. Thereafter, a second type of conference is started based on predefined parameters, wherein the second type of conference consumes lower bandwidth than the first type of conference.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are disclosed for performing peer authentication without the assistance of a human “guard.” In accordance with the illustrative embodiments, a peer is selected from a non-empty set of candidates at authentication time based on one or more of the following dynamic properties: the current geo-location of the user to be authenticated; the current geo-locations of the candidates; the current time; the contents of one or more directories (e.g., a telephone directory, an organizational chart or directory, etc.), the contents of one or more call logs; and the candidates' schedules.

Abstract: System and method to provide an immersive virtual world conference environment, the method including: establishing a live virtual world conference, by use of a virtual world server; recording, in a memory coupled to the virtual world server, events related to live participants in the live virtual world conference, wherein the live participants are communicatively coupled to the virtual world server; receiving a request from a first virtual user to experience the virtual world conference at a predetermined virtual time that is different than a present real time; retrieving from the memory events related to live participants that occurred no later than the predetermined virtual time; restoring a conference state based upon the retrieved events; and providing an interaction responsive to the conference state and the first virtual user, in order to produce the immersive virtual world conference state.