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: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for enabling the response to a command from a wireless terminal to be based at least partially on the presence or absence of other users nearby, and possibly the identity of those users. In the illustrated embodiment, a server maintains an updated list of the locations of fixed and wireless terminals within an area (e.g., an IEEE 802.11 wireless access point's area of coverage, a CDMA base station's cell, etc.). When a user issues a command to his or her wireless terminal, the command is transmitted to the server. The server determines whether there are any other nearby wireless terminals (and inferentially, the users associated with these terminals), and then determines whether the command is authorized in that environment.

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: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for processing media highlights. A first method includes displaying a real-time media event to a user, and, upon receiving a first indication from the user at a first time, generating a highlight of the real-time media event based on the first time, the highlight being associated with a portion of the real-time media event at the first time, and associating, in a highlight database, the highlight with an individual profile of the user. The highlight can include parameters for media content and/or duration. The highlight duration can be based on an analysis of content of the real-time media event. Highlights can be assigned to specific highlight categories. Other aspects disclosed herein apply to playback of media highlights during playback of a recorded media event, and managing stored highlights.

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: 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: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for generating an immersive three-dimensional sound space for searching audio. The system generates a three-dimensional sound space having a plurality of sound sources playing at a same time, wherein each of the plurality of sound sources is assigned a respective location in the three-dimensional sound space relative to one another, and wherein a user is assigned a current location in the three-dimensional sound space relative to each respective location. Next, the system receives input from the user to navigate to a new location in the three-dimensional sound space. Based on the input, the system then changes each respective location of the plurality of sound sources relative to the new location in the three-dimensional sound space.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for determining expertise through speech analytics. The system associates speakers with respective segments of an audio conversation to yield associated speaker segments. The system also identifies a number of times a speaker has spoken about a topic in the audio conversation by searching the associated speaker segments for a term associated with the topic. The system then ranks the speaker as an expert in the topic when the number of times the speaker has spoken about the topic in the audio conversation exceeds a threshold. The audio conversation can include a compilation of a plurality of audio conversations. Moreover, the system can tag the associated speaker segments having the term with keyword tags and match a respective segment from the associated speaker segments with the speaker, the respective segment having a keyword tag.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for managing meeting agendas in a meeting or conference via a virtual agenda participant. The system maintains, prior to a communication session, a conference agenda associated with the communication session. During the communication session, the system identifies, via a virtual entity, communication items associated with the communication session to yield identified communication items, wherein the virtual entity dynamically monitors the communication session and processes data associated with the communication session to identify the communication items. The system then compares, via the virtual entity, the conference agenda with the identified communication items to determine which items from the conference agenda have been addressed during the communication session.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for enabling the response to a command from a wireless terminal to be based at least partially on the presence or absence of other users nearby, and possibly the identity of those users. In the illustrated embodiment, a server maintains an updated list of the locations of fixed and wireless terminals within an area (e.g., an IEEE 802.11 wireless access point's area of coverage, a CDMA base station's cell, etc.). When a user issues a command to his or her wireless terminal, the command is transmitted to the server. The server determines whether there are any other nearby wireless terminals (and inferentially, the users associated with these terminals), and then determines whether the command is authorized in that environment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for enabling the response to a command from a wireless terminal to be based at least partially on the presence or absence of other users nearby, and possibly the identity of those users. In the illustrated embodiment, a server maintains an updated list of the locations of fixed and wireless terminals within an area (e.g., an IEEE 802.11 wireless access point's area of coverage, a CDMA base station's cell, etc.). When a user issues a command to his or her wireless terminal, the command is transmitted to the server. The server determines whether there are any other nearby wireless terminals (and inferentially, the users associated with these terminals), and then determines whether the command is authorized in that environment.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable storage media for automatically initiating online social interactions based on participation in a conference call. Audio of the conference call is analyzed for data, such as timestamps indicating when people spoke, the volume of speech, words per minute, and emotional context. This analysis determines relationships between participants, and initiates online social interactions compatible with those relationships. This initialization can take the form of a prompt, or can be performed without interruption to the participants.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for processing media highlights. A first method includes displaying a real-time media event to a user, and, upon receiving a first indication from the user at a first time, generating a highlight of the real-time media event based on the first time, the highlight being associated with a portion of the real-time media event at the first time, and associating, in a highlight database, the highlight with an individual profile of the user. The highlight can include parameters for media content and/or duration. The highlight duration can be based on an analysis of content of the real-time media event. Highlights can be assigned to specific highlight categories. Other aspects disclosed herein apply to playback of media highlights during playback of a recorded media event, and managing stored highlights.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed that enable a terminal such as a computer-based softphone to retrieve and handle, transparently for its user, the voicemail that has been left by calling parties who called the user's cell-phone number. Furthermore, the softphone is able to integrate the presentation to its user of the voicemail associated with the cell phone with the voicemail that has been left by calling parties who called the softphone itself. The softphone features both i) a personal area network interface that is used to communicate directly with the cell phone and ii) a local area network interface that is used to retrieve the cell-phone voicemail from a voicemail system. Once the softphone is paired with the cell phone, the softphone is able to retrieve signals directly from the cell phone and, based on those signals, retrieves the voicemail from the cell phone's voicemail system.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are disclosed for enabling the response to a command at a personal wireless terminal to be based at least partially on the presence or absence of other users nearby, and possibly the identity of those users. In the illustrated embodiment, the personal wireless terminal determines wirelessly (e.g., via Bluetooth, etc.) whether there are any other nearby personal wireless terminals (and inferentially, the users associated with these terminals), and then determines whether the command is authorized in that particular environment of nearby users. In some embodiments, authorization is also at least partially based on one or more additional factors, such as the identity of the user of the personal wireless terminal, the identify of nearby users, the nature of the command, one or more arguments of a command, the value of a datum retrieved by a query, and the date and time (i.e., “calendrical time”).

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are disclosed for authenticating users of wireless telecommunications terminals. A user is authenticated by instructing the user to travel to a geo-location, where the geo-location is referred to by an identifier that the user has previously associated with the geo-location. When the user chooses identifiers that are meaningful to the user, but that do not indicate the associated geo-locations to other people, the user can be securely authenticated via the following procedure: (i) select one of the identifiers that the user has defined, (ii) instruct the user to “go to <identifier>,” and (iii) declare the user authenticated if and only if the user visits the geo-location associated with <identifier> before a timeout expires.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed that enable an enhanced, interactive voice response (IVR) system to securely authenticate a user at a telecommunications terminal, without some of the disadvantages in the prior art. In particular, after the user at the telecommunications terminal requests access to a resource, the controlling IVR system of the illustrative embodiment issues a random challenge sequence to the user, along with interspersed “camouflage elements” and one or more directions as to how to respond. The user is then free to speak a returned sequence that answers the combined challenge sequence and interspersed camouflage elements; as a result, an eavesdropper overhearing the user hears what sounds like a random number or string. In short, the technique of the illustrative embodiment uses a challenge-response exchange of a substitution cipher interspersed with camouflage elements.

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.