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 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 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: 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: A call center apparatus for automatically bridging a mobile user (e.g., a supervisor, etc.) into an existing conversation between a telephone operator and a caller is disclosed. The illustrative embodiments bridge the mobile user into the conversation of the closest telephone operator for which the mobile user has bridging authority.

Abstract: An apparatus for enabling signals directed to a first telecommunications terminal to be forwarded intelligently to a second telecommunications terminal in the vicinity of the first terminal is disclosed. In particular, the illustrative embodiment automatically forwards signals from a first terminal to the closest terminal in the network that the first terminal is authorized to forward to. The closest authorized terminal is determined via short-range wireless communication between the first terminal and other terminals in the first terminal's vicinity. In the illustrative embodiment, the terminals communicate with each other via Bluetooth transceivers.

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 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: The present invention relates to a telephone system in which the actual identity of the calling individual is provided to the called party. The calling individual has at least one identification code (“ID”) associated with him. The invention then maps this unique ID to the actual identification of the calling party and substitutes the calling individual's number for the calling station number in the ANI identification provided to the telephone system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a user of a telecommunications terminal to specify desired characteristics for the recipient of a call in lieu of a contact identifier are disclosed. The illustrative embodiment enables a user to specify one or more of the following criteria for a recipient: (i) a role requirement that specifies a role (e.g., a nurse, a doctor, etc.); (ii) a capability requirement that specifies one or more capabilities (e.g., able to speak Spanish, etc.); (iii) a location requirement (e.g., on the third floor of Building A, etc.); and (iv) a cardinality descriptor for the number of recipients (e.g., one recipient, at least three recipients, etc.). The illustrative embodiment also employs availability data (e.g., a schedule, etc.) and rules to determine whether a particular person is available to receive a call.

Abstract: An apparatus for enabling signals directed to a first telecommunications terminal to be forwarded intelligently to a second telecommunications terminal in the vicinity of the first terminal is disclosed. In particular, the illustrative embodiment automatically forwards signals from a first terminal to the closest terminal in the network that the first terminal is authorized to forward to. The closest authorized terminal is determined via short-range wireless communication between the first terminal and other terminals in the first terminal's vicinity. In the illustrative embodiment, the terminals communicate with each other via Bluetooth transceivers.

Abstract: A call center apparatus for automatically bridging a mobile user (e.g., a supervisor, etc.) into an existing conversation between a telephone operator and a caller is disclosed. The illustrative embodiments bridge the mobile user into the conversation of the closest telephone operator for which the mobile user has bridging authority.

Abstract: An apparatus for enabling signals directed to a first telecommunications terminal to be forwarded intelligently to a second telecommunications terminal in the vicinity of the first terminal is disclosed. In particular, the illustrative embodiment automatically forwards signals from a first terminal to the closest terminal in the network that the first terminal is authorized to forward to. The closest authorized terminal is determined via short-range wireless communication between the first terminal and other terminals in the first terminal's vicinity. In the illustrative embodiment, the terminals communicate with each other via Bluetooth transceivers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a telephone system in which the actual identity of the calling individual is provided to the called party. The calling individual has at least one identification code (“ID”) associated with him. The invention then maps this unique ID to the actual identification of the calling party and substitutes the calling individual's number for the calling station number in the ANI identification provided to the telephone system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting one of a plurality of delivery mechanisms for sending a message are disclosed. The illustrative embodiment enables the advantageous selection of the delivery mechanism for sending a message from a first telecommunications terminal to a second telecommunications terminal based on at least one of: (i) the location of the first terminal, (ii) the location of the second terminal, (iii) the time and date (i.e., the calendrical time) at the first terminal, (iv) the calendrical time at the second terminal, and (v) one or more properties of the message (e.g., the sending user, the receiving user, a message priority, the contents of the message, etc.). A delivery mechanism for sending a message comprises at least one of: a physical medium, a physical layer protocol, a medium access control, and a network for transport.

Abstract: A method and system which utilize a graphical user interface to identify potential participants in a teleconference, specify a user-controlled dial-up/hang-up order, and monitor the status of participants to the teleconference. The method and system receive conference commands from a World Wide Web (WWW) browser and translate the conference commands into commands that control a telephone bridge.

Abstract: A method and system which utilize a graphical user interface to identify potential participants in a teleconference, specify a user-controlled dial-up/hang-up order, and monitor the status of participants to the teleconference. The method and system receive conference commands from a World Wide Web (WWW) browser and translate the conference commands into commands that control a telephone bridge.

Abstract: A method and system which utilize a graphical user interface to identify potential participants in a teleconference, specify a user-controlled dial-up/hang-up order, and monitor the status of participants to the teleconference. The method and system receive conference commands from a World Wide Web (WWW) browser and translate the conference commands into commands that control a telephone bridge.

Abstract: Techniques for employing a television set and a television set controller as the control interface for devices which themselves do not have display capability and for services provided via the telephone network. The techniques involve control apparatus which is connected to the telephone network and a television set and is responsive to inputs from a hand-held controller for the television set. The control apparatus outputs a screen which contains control selections to the television set and the user employs the controller to make a selection. The control apparatus then performs the control function specified by the selection. One application is a telephone messaging system: integral with the control apparatus is a system which can answer calls and store voice messages, fax messages, character-string messages, and script messages. The control apparatus plays the voice messages on the television set and provide screens to the television set which display the fax and character-string messages.