Abstract: An intelligent data network call setup system forwards data network user information to an operator, for example, for a call with a data network user. The intelligent data network call set up system monitors the data network user's actions and generates information that summarizes potential reasons for the data network user's call and forwards such information as preamble information to the operator. The intelligent data network call set up system includes a call coordination device that serves as an interface between the data network user and the operator. The call coordination device supports web sites visited by data network users and when a request for a call is received, the call coordination device provides the operator with the user's action history, and other helpful information to the operator such as products that may interest the user to avoid the undesirable “cold start” experience. In this way, the operator may be more knowledgeable and helpful to the user.

Abstract: An automated emergency notification system is disclosed. When practicing one embodiment of the present invention, a calling party places a phone call to an emergency service provider by dialing into a service provider network. The service provider network determines the identity of the calling party by accessing a subscriber database. The network determines a set of parties to be called by utilizing the identity of the calling party to access the set of parties to be called from an outcall database. The calling party pre-defines the set of parties to be called (i.e., before an emergency occurs) in the event of an emergency and stores this information in the outcall database. The service provider network then establishes the phone call between the calling party and the emergency service provider and also automatically places phone calls to each individual included in the set of parties to be called that was defined by the calling party.

Abstract: A system and method for establishing a communication path for a call between a video telephone/teleconference call and a packet network telephone terminal through a packet network. The call is routed through a multimedia gateway which performs a conversion process between a video telephone/teleconference domain and a packet network telephone domain.

Abstract: The invention provides an on-hold switching device that permits a subscriber to be engaged in other activities through a telephone network while being placed on-hold by another party. When placed on-hold, the on-hold switching device disconnects the subscriber from the other party and connects the subscriber to the telephone network so that the subscriber may engage in other activities. The on-hold switching device monitors the signal bus connected to the other party to determine whether the on-hold condition is removed. When the on-hold condition is removed, the subscriber is reconnected to the other party. Thus, the on-hold switching device permits a subscriber to be engaged in other activities when placed on-hold by the other party.

Abstract: A collaborative application system initiates a communication session over a network. The collaborative application system receives an identity of a called party and an identity of a collaborative application from a calling party. The calling party participates in the communication session at a first endpoint and the called party participates in the communication session at a second endpoint. Further, the collaborative application system determines a first endpoint type and a second endpoint type and selects a first version of the collaborative application based on the first endpoint type and a second version of the collaborative application based on the second endpoint type. The collaborative application system then retrieves and makes available the first version of the application to the calling party and second version of the application to the called party.

Abstract: A communication system that provides information to customers holding in a queue. Upon arrival to the queue, the queue identifies the customer and further identifies information that is related to the customer's motivation for entering the queue from the customer's identity. The queue selects individual messages from the relevant information for presentation to the customer. Certain messages may be prioritized over others based on the queue experience with other customers or based on external events that raise the likelihood that the message is relevant. The communication system may operate in a telecommunication network or a computer network.

Abstract: A network based language translation system is provided. A network is provided that has language translation software installed on the network. A user communication device that is interconnected to the network is utilized to communicate with the network. The user communication device both inputs text and/or spoken communications into the network and receives text and/or spoken communications from the network. The network is able to receive communication inputs from multiple users in multiple languages and translate and transmit output communications to those users in languages designated by the users.

Abstract: A cellular phone network provides location-based information to a user of a cellular phone. The cellular phone network includes a plurality of antennas coupled to at least one server. The server is coupled to a database. Stored on the database is a plurality of location-based information that is indexed to the plurality of antennas. The cellular phone transmits communication signals to one of the antennas. A phone call is established between the server and the user, and the server receives an identification of the antenna that the user transmits to. The server then queries the database and retrieves information local to the user. This information is then presented to the user in the form of menus.

Abstract: A system inserts one or more background sounds in a telephone call between a calling party and a called party. The system includes a network node coupled to a first telephone used by the calling party and a second telephone used by the called party. The network node is further coupled to an audio source. One or more background sounds are stored on the audio source. The calling party dials into the network node. The network node presents a menu of background sounds to the calling party who selects at least one background sound. The calling party then enters the phone number of the called party. The network node initiates the telephone call to the called party over a first telephone channel, and then inserts the selected background sound retrieved from the audio source onto the telephone channel. If a multi-party call is requested by the calling party, the calling party can select different background sounds that are inserted by the network node onto the telephone channel for each called party.

Abstract: A network information delivery system automatically determines end-user information output requirements based on predetermined data corresponding to each requesting end-user terminal. A user profile is maintained in a database either associated with a network information delivery system or with the end-user terminal and is accessed by the network information delivery device. If the network information delivery device has authority to access the end-user terminal, a program may be downloaded to the end-user terminal to determine the exact end-user terminal configuration. The program executing in the end-user terminal returns to the network information delivery device a user profile containing the end-user terminal capabilities so that the requested information may be formatted and delivered to the end-user in an optimal manner. The information to be delivered to end-users may be pre-stored in predetermined formats.

Abstract: An enduser at a POTS analog voice-only endpoint (136) and endusers at H.320 standard multimedia terminals (101, 102, 103, 104), which each communicate over separate voice, video and data streams, engage in a videoconference with each other in a pseudo multimedia manner through a central platform (135) that provides call conversion capabilities. A document to be shared by a user at the POTS endpoint with users at the multimedia endpoints is transmitted as a data signal from a facsimile machine (137) or PC terminal (138) associated with the POTS user to a server (146) in the platform. The received data signal is then inputted to a multimedia bridge (124) and transmitted on the data stream to each multimedia endpoint for display on a window on each multimedia terminal. Similarly, a document to be shared by a multimedia endpoint is transmitted on a data stream to the multimedia bridge, where it is bridged on the data stream transmitted to the other multimedia endpoints and to the server.

Abstract: Time-dependent, geographically localized information is provided to a mobile communication system. A geographic location identifier associated with a location of the mobile communication system is received. An address of a resource server is associated with the geographic location identifier; the resource server stores time-dependent, geographically localized information. The address of the resource server is sent to the mobile communication system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the robust recognition of speech during a call in a noisy environment is presented. Specific background noise models are created to model various background noises which may interfere in the error free recognition of speech. These background noise models are then used to determine which noise characteristics a particular call has. Once a determination has been made of the background noise in any given call, speech recognition is carried out using the appropriate background noise model.

Abstract: Real time delivery of multimedia information accessed either through the Internet, or otherwise, simultaneously, or sequentially time delayed to one more users, is enabled by delivering the multimedia information over a switched network via a multipoint control unit. A client establishes a connection with a server, or other remote location where desired multimedia information is resident, identifies the desired multimedia information and provides client information identifying the locations of the users. The client information may include the telephone numbers or other access numbers of each of the multiple users. The multimedia information is then delivered by a multimedia server to a bridging apparatus through a switched network guaranteeing high quality of service, secure connection and billing control. Connecting one or more users to a live agent is also made possible by providing the telephone numbers of the users and the live agent directly to the multipoint control unit.

Abstract: A communications system uses a World Wide Web (Web) server to provide multimedia messaging functions over the Internet. Multimedia workstations are interconnected via the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Parties are provided with multimedia mailboxes on message servers that are connected to the PSTN and the Internet. In order to identify the message server on which a called party's mailbox is located, the Web server provides the multimedia number of the called party's message server when a call is made. In addition, the Web server provides the multimedia number of the called party. When a multimedia call is unanswered, the system uses the multimedia number of the message server and the called party multimedia number provided by the Web server to record and store a message for the called party in the called party's mailbox.