Abstract: A system and method for composing an audio message are disclosed, which may include a memory for storing control parameters identifying respective preconfigured audio segments, the preconfigured audio segments being emotones; a recorder for enabling a user of the recording system to introduce user voice input into an audio message; and a command for enabling the user of the recording system to selectively add user voice input and emotones into the audio message.

Abstract: Security is improved in a communication system in which a communication connection is established when a user who has received a software button on his computing device (a Recipient) clicks on the button. When a Recipient first actuates a software button, a basic type of communication connection is established, during which the Recipient's identity can be verified. The Recipient then establishes a personal identification code, which he will have to provide upon future actuations of the software button. The system then enables other types of communication connections to be established by the Recipient. After the Recipient actuates the software button and verifies his identity, the system remembers the identity and location of the computing device he is using. When the Recipient subsequently actuates the software button, the identity and location of his computing device are checked, and verification of his identity is suppressed if they have not changed.

Abstract: A system is disclosed which provides communication of recorded voice messages over a network among a plurality of users having voice communication devices. The system has a voice message server connected to the network, which includes a receiver which receives from a sending user's communication device a voice message signal including a header component and a recorded voice message component is stored at the server in association with the corresponding header. The header component identifies the sending user and an intended recipient user, and it is transmitted to the communication device of the intended recipient identified in the header component. The corresponding voice message component is transmitted to the recipient user's communication device in response to the recipient user's communication device requesting it. The recipient user may send a responsive voice message to the server addressed to the sending user.

Abstract: Online searching related to a physical object by a user making use of a computing device is accomplished by creating a representation of the object at the user's computing device. A software button originating remote from the user's computing device is provided to the user's computing device, and the button is constructed based upon the representation of the object. The software button is associated with a second device in use by a subscriber associated with the object, the button and it is actuable by the user. Upon actuation of the software button by the user, an executable agent is downloaded to his computing device, effective to establish a connection between the user's computing device and the second device.

Abstract: A method and system for creating an electronic journal entry based on a mnemonic, wherein the mnemonic is created by a terminal in response to receiving a command from a user at a location-of-interest. The mnemonic comprises calendrical time of the command, an audio recording, and a photo that was recorded and captured at that location-of-interest. The user can retrieve the mnemonic from memory at a later time to listen to the audio recording and view the photo to help him recall the details of the location-of-interest. Once the user recalls the details, the journal entry is created by adding text, audio recordings, photos, and videos. As part of creating the journal entry, the user can provide authorization information for the journal entry. Once the user has finished creating the journal entry, the terminal transmits it to a data-processing system where an electronic journal of the user is updated.

Abstract: A method and system for providing one or more location-based services using the location-of-interest of a user or an electronic journal entry. In the first service, a user's terminal periodically determines whether its current geo-location is within a predefined distance of a location-of-interest. If the determination is in the affirmative, the user's terminal receives an audio recording from a data-processing system and plays it to the user as a reminder. In the second service, however, the user's terminal receives the audio recording from the data-processing system regardless of whether its current geo-location is or is not within a predefined distance of the location-of-interest. In contrast to the first service, the second service uses the virtual presence of a user to initiate the service, while first service uses the current geo-location of the user's terminal to initiate the service.

Abstract: A system and method for composing an audio message are disclosed, which may include a memory for storing control parameters identifying respective preconfigured audio segments, the preconfigured audio segments being emotones; a recorder for enabling a user of the recording system to introduce user voice input into an audio message; and command input means for enabling the user of the recording system to selectively add user voice input and emotones into the audio message.

Abstract: A system is disclosed which provides communication of recorded voice messages over a network among a plurality of users having voice communication devices. The system has a voice message server connected to the network, which includes a receiver which receives from a sending user's communication device a voice message signal including a header component and a recorded voice message component is stored at the server in association with the corresponding header. The header component identifies the sending user and an intended recipient user, and it is transmitted to the communication device of the intended recipient identified in the header component. The corresponding voice message component is transmitted to the recipient user's communication device in response to the recipient user's communication device requesting it. The recipient user may send a responsive voice message to the server addressed to the sending user.

Abstract: A software button and software agent downloaded to a computing in response to actuation of the button make it possible to create a communication connection providing privacy, security and dynamic control of service. In one embodiment an online telephone directory comprised of software buttons is provided, in which a calling party can select a called party by clicking a software button dedicated to the called party. The button provides an identification of the called party, but all contact information is hidden and inaccessible to the calling party. Upon actuation of the button server containing the directory causes download of a software agent to the calling party's computing device, causing it to establish communication with the called party. In a second embodiment, software buttons provide a communication service which is dynamic, the nature or type of service changing based on conditions predefined by the called.

Abstract: Online searching related to a physical object by a user making use of a computing device is accomplished by creating a representation of the object at the user's computing device. A software button originating remote from the user's computing device is provided to the user's computing device, and the button is constructed based upon the representation of the object. The software button is associated with a second device in use by a subscriber associated with the object, the button and it is actuable by the user. Upon actuation of the software button by the user, an executable agent is downloaded to his computing device, effective to establish a connection between the user's computing device and the second device.

Abstract: A user performing a search on a computing device, for example with a browser application, is provided with one or more software buttons on the display of the device. The buttons are created based on the subject matter of his search. As the user searches, his queries are stored. Should the user actuate a software button, real time communication, for example a telephone call, is established with an adviser, who receives a copy of the user's search queries on his computing device.

Abstract: A system is disclosed that may include a directory server on a network, the server having a network interface that includes a plurality of actuatable software buttons, each button identifying a listed party; a database of private information for listed parties; a button server on the network containing executable software agents constructed to create a communication interface for a communication connection; wherein the buttons are constructed to transfer to the user's computing device information describing the type of connection and private address information for the listed party identified by the actuated button, the button server then downloading, to the computing device of the user actuating the button, a software agent constructed to create a communication interface to the private address of the listed party identified by the actuated button.

Abstract: Security is improved in a communication system in which a communication connection is established when a user who has received a software button on his computing device (a Recipient) clicks on the button. When a Recipient first actuates a software button, a basic type of communication connection is established, during which the Recipient's identity can be verified. The Recipient then establishes a personal identification code, which he will have to provide upon future actuations of the software button. The system then enables other types of communication connections to be established by the Recipient. After the Recipient actuates the software button and verifies his identity, the system remembers the identity and location of the computing device he is using. When the Recipient subsequently actuates the software button, the identity and location of his computing device are checked, and verification of his identity is suppressed if they have not changed.

Abstract: A software button and software agent downloaded to a computing in response to actuation of the button make it possible to create a communication connection providing privacy, security and dynamic control of service. In one embodiment an online telephone directory comprised of software buttons is provided, in which a calling party can select a called party by clicking a software button dedicated to the called party. The button provides an identification of the called party, but all contact information is hidden and inaccessible to the calling party. Upon actuation of the button server containing the directory causes download of a software agent to the calling party's computing device, causing it to establish communication with the called party. In a second embodiment, software buttons provide a communication service which is dynamic, the nature or type of service changing based on conditions predefined by the called.

Abstract: A system and method for context sensitive calling is disclosed in which context associated with a call is pulled from a file or database and forwarded with the call. In some embodiments, the context is pulled using a context reference number, and the context may be dependant upon the type of called terminal equipment available.

Abstract: A click to talk system for use in a data network is disclosed. In response to a user selection on a browser, a click to talk server bridges an IP capable voice device to the browser by translating between data network protocols. Additionally, a media server may be manually or automatically contacted to provide a media stream simultaneously with a voice connection between a client computer running the browser and the IP capable voice device.

Abstract: A multiplicity of users is connected to a network, as are m servers. The users are organized into n user groups, each including a plurality of users, such that all the users in a group are part of a common database which permits intercommunication between them. That database is duplicated in a subset of p of the servers, and the subset shares the processing load of the corresponding user group. When a user in the respective user group attempts to communicate with another user, one of the servers in the subset p will accommodate the necessary processing initiate set up of the connection. At the same time, each server accommodates users in q different groups. Should one of the servers fail, each of the other servers in each subset p accommodating the failing server's users will accommodate the failed server's share of those users. Thus, the processing load of each user group is handled with a redundancy of p (the number of servers in a subset), ensuring a high level of availability.

Abstract: A data network routing apparatus and method are presented. The data switch comprises a packet engine integrated with an optical engine. The optical engine and packet engine are under common software and/or hardware control, and communicably interconnected. As a result, the physical state of the optics is continually and immediately available to the packet engine, in substantially real time. The packet engine implements a routing algorithm which operates on at least the data traffic in the network and the optical transport topology. The routing apparatus periodically updates the routing algorithm's operands under normal operation, and in the event of the failure of a communications link in the network, the routing apparatus immediately updates the routing algorithm operands in response. A network comprising a plurality of nodes with such immediate rerouting capability is achieved by utilizing a plurality of the disclosed data switches as its nodes.

Abstract: The present invention provides switch arrays for use in optical communication systems. The switch arrays are illustrated in relatively simple and relatively complex versions for each of two types. Each switch array is assembled by connecting of plural optical switches to each other and to transmission links and packet switches accordingly. The result enables handling a greater quantity of signal volume.

Abstract: An improved optical communication circuit is disclosed which is capable of overcoming a damaged link and maintaining communication. The circuit is in the form of a ring with links connecting between nodes, and the circuit includes the ability to detect a failure and to re-route a message around a break by reconfiguring the message at a modified wavelength and forwarding on a different path.