Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for selectively enabling or disabling rings or other alerts associated with a mobile communication device. A mobile communication device in accordance with embodiments of the present invention includes one or more programmable profiles that establish the behavior of the mobile communication device for a number of different proximity levels between the user and the device. Accordingly, by applying a determined proximity level and an applicable programmable profile, an alert type maybe selected.

Abstract: Mobile telephone user route mapping services and coverage area warning services and systems for providing such services are provided. Origination location and destination location information is entered, and a route between the locations along which wireless telephone system coverage is available is returned. If the returned route is less preferable than another possible route along which there are areas of poor coverage or no coverage, the provider of the wireless telephone system is informed, and this information can be used to identify areas in which improved coverage would most benefit mobile telephone users. A warning may also be provided to inform the parties to a call that a participant using a mobile telephone is about to enter an area of poor coverage or of no coverage. The described services may be offered in return for a fee paid to the service provider.

Abstract: An improved system and method to provide important information either, as voice, text, picture, holographic image or video from the calling party to a called party before the called party answers a telephone. The information may be a live or recorded voice, text, image or video message. The calling party may send a voice message, for example, and send it along with a call set-up message. The voice message may be recorded beforehand, recorded as part of the dialing process, or sent live before the call is answered. Instead of the called party's telephone ringing, the recorded voice message is played or the real-time data/bearer stream is heard. The called party hears the voice message instead of the ring tone normally heard when there is an incoming telephone call.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for automatically threading multiple media into a single document. More specifically, a single conversation may be distributed among a number of different contacts and replies to those contacts. The distributed contacts and the corresponding replies may be chronologically ordered and analyzed. Then the repetitive portions of the documents and replies are removed. After repetitive portions of the conversation have been removed, the multiple documents are threaded together as a single representation of the conversation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to document or file access control. In particular, embodiments of the present invention alter files that are obsolete, so that it is apparent to a user that an updated version of the file should be obtained. Accordingly, files that are subject to revisions can be stored locally, to provide fast and convenient access to such files, with assurance that notice will be provided to a user if the locally stored version of a file becomes obsolete. Furthermore, the invention allows files stored locally that have become obsolete to be identified automatically. The alteration of obsolete files may include the placement of a watermark on or embedded in such files to provide an obvious indication to a user that the file is obsolete.

Abstract: A system for providing a high communications quality is provided. The system comprises: (a) an input operable to receive a message from at least one of first and second network nodes 200 and 204, the first and second network nodes communicating with one another in a session and the message indicating a service problem with the session and (b) a statistic collection agent 248 operable to cause, in response to the message, at least one of the following operations: (i) reconfiguration of one or more attributes or resources in the network; (ii) variation of a sampling frequency of one or more session-related performance attributes associated with the network; (iii) alteration of the types of session-related performance attributes being collected regarding the network; and (iv) collection of session-related information from nodes other than the at least first and second network nodes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a system for providing user access to a public network that includes (a) a service modification agent 154 operable to (i) determine that public network resources are available for use; (ii) determine that a first class of users will be offered an upgrade in a Quality of Service (QoS) of communications over the public network; and (iii) determine that a first user in the first class of users may intend to use the public network resources and a service reporting agent 166 operable to provide the user with the higher QoS when the first user accesses the public network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus determine a trust level of a path through a plurality of routers by an endpoint by transmitting a path setup message requesting a path reservation for a first path through a subset of the routers, by receiving in response to transmission of the path setup message a trust level message containing trust level information inserted by each router in the first path through the subset, and by evaluating the inserted trust level information to determine if the first path has a sufficient trust level. Another method and apparatus gather trust level information from a router by receiving a trust level message into which a trust level of the router can be inserted, by inserting trust level information of the router into the trust level message, and by re-transmitting the trust level message on a designated path.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems, devices, and methods for obtaining, analyzing, and sharing gesture information between participants of a communication session. The present invention is particularly well suited for use in video communication sessions where participants may want to be aware of the indications that their gestures are giving to other participants. The present invention is also capable of being employed in non-video communication sessions to share gesture information and other visual indicia to other participants that cannot otherwise view the speaking/acting participant.

Abstract: The present invention provides a systems, device, and methods for establishing an ad-hoc communication network. Members to the ad-hoc network are allowed to operate in a social mode that allows the devices to share state information with one another and further implement similar behavioral mannerisms. More specifically, the ad-hoc network may be defined by certain functions that are enabled/disabled and any member to that particular ad-hoc network agrees to operate its functionality according to the functions that have been enabled/disabled for that network.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system capable of enforcing document security and delivery policies. In particular, the present invention allows for the detection and removal of files attached to electronic messages. When an attached file is removed from an electronic message, the file may be placed in secure storage. A link to the stored file is inserted in the electronic communication prior to delivery of the message to the addressee of the communication. In order to access the stored file, the recipient of the message is required to select the provided link, which establishes a secure communication channel between the secure storage device and the receiving client computer. Optionally, the recipient may also be required to provide a password and/or digital certificate in order to access the stored file.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a call admission controller that is operable to: (a) determine at least one of (i) a bandwidth utilization level for a first path including a first link; (ii) an available bandwidth level for the first path; and (iii) one or more Quality of Service or QoS metrics for the first path; (b) compare the at least one of (i) a bandwidth utilization level; (ii) an available bandwidth level; and (iii) one or more Quality of Service or QoS metrics to one or more selected thresholds to determine whether a new live voice communication may be set up with a first selected codec; and (iii) when a new live voice communication may not be set up with the first selected codec, perform at least one of the following operations: (i) select a second different codec from among a plurality of possible codecs for the new live voice communication, wherein the second codec has a lower bit rate than the first codec; (ii) change an existing live voice communication from the first codec to the second co

Abstract: The present invention is directed to network monitoring systems. Test probes available for use in connection with network monitoring are registered. As part of the registration of test probes, information related to the type of device implemented by each test probe is also collected. Information related to the network or subnetwork with which each device is associated may also be collected. The collected information may therefore comprise system topology discovery. In addition, the collected information may be used to select distributions of device types in order to implement particular test schemes or protocols.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for determining one or more credentials of a network device. The system and method select a first network device from among a plurality of network devices, access a credential repository, contact the first network device, and test the validity of the first set of credentials. The credential repository comprises a first set of credentials corresponding to the first network device. If a user provides invalid or no credentials, a candidate credential queue can be used to guess a valid second set of credentials when the first set of credentials is not valid.

Abstract: A system for determining the vicinity of a communication device within a communication network is provided. Individual communication devices are provided with an active identification reader capable of reporting information concerning identified passive identification tags to a location server. At least some passive identification tags have fixed or known locations, allowing a communication device capable of reading such a passive identification1 tag to be determined to be within a particular vicinity or area. Communication devices may also be provided with passive identification tags to allow other active identification readers to determine whether the communication device is in their vicinity.

Abstract: Disclosed are new calculations of packet loss bursts, packet re-ordering, and an indication of relative alternate network path delay metrics, based upon differences between received and expected packet sequence numbers, for determining packet network performance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a prediction of an available communication channel quality. According to the present invention, in response to a request for a communication channel, network devices are queried for network parameter status information. Based on the network status parameter information returned, a prediction as to the available quality levels available for the communication is made. An indication of the predicted quality of service for one or a number of requested service levels may be provided to the requesting user, who may then choose to defer initiation of the communication, or to proceed. A user may be notified when predicted quality levels available in connection with a requested communication reach a predetermined level, at which point the user may choose to establish the requested communication channel. Information regarding a rate associated with a requested quality of service level may also be provided.

Abstract: An enterprise network 100 for tracking objects is provided. The network 100 includes: (a) a plurality of subscriber communication devices 134 and 138; (b) a plurality of readers 160, each of the communication devices being in communication with a corresponding reader, wherein each reader is operable to read a set of object identifiers, each object identifier in the set corresponding to an Identification device 168 positioned on a respective object 164; and (c) a location agent 324 operable to determine, from at least one of the sets of object identifiers, a physical location of each object 164 having an object identifier in the at least one of the sets of object identifiers.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the measurement of service levels provided by a communication network, including an Internet protocol communication network. In accordance with the present invention, test packets are sent from a first edge router across the communication network to a second edge router. The time required for the test packets to be transmitted across the communication network is then determined, and that time compared to the time specified by the governing service level agreement. A failure of the communication network to deliver test packets as guaranteed may be used as an indication that the service level agreement has been violated. Packet loss and packet jitter may also be measured and compared to levels guaranteed by the service level agreement. The present invention may be used to determine whether the delivery of data packets using requests for expedited service levels is necessary or desirable.

Abstract: A system for determining a topology associated with a network such as an enterprise network. The system includes a data collection agent 204 configured to (a) identify a first set of routers from among a larger, second set of routers in an enterprise network, (b) contact each of the routers in the first set of routers but not each of the other routers in the second set of routers, and (c) load network information maintained by at least some of the contacted routers in the first set of routers. The loaded network information can then be used to form a network or routing topology of the enterprise network.