Abstract: An obfuscated network traffic server is operative to generate obfuscated network traffic. The obfuscated network traffic server maintains the relationship between extracted application content and extracted network header content such that the obfuscated network traffic is indistinguishable from the monitored network traffic. The obfuscated network traffic server may include a network monitor operative to monitor network traffic and to extract application content and network header content from the monitored network traffic. The obfuscated network traffic server may also include a data masking processor operative to mask a portion of the separated application content and/or the separated network header content. The obfuscated network traffic server may further include a masking attribute selector operative to specify the attributes of the application content and/or the network header content that is to be masked.

Abstract: A system and method for automated determination of quasi-identifiers for sensitive data fields in a dataset are provided. In one aspect, the system and method identifies quasi-identifier fields in the dataset based upon a static analysis of program statements in a computer program having access to - sensitive data fields in the dataset. In another aspect, the system and method identifies quasi-identifier fields based upon a dynamic analysis of program statements in a computer program having access to -sensitive data fields in the dataset. Once such quasi-identifiers have been identified, the data stored in such fields may be anonymized using techniques such as k-anonymity. As a result, the data in the anonymized quasi-identifiers fields cannot be used to infer a value stored in a sensitive data field in the dataset.

Abstract: A system and method for automated determination of quasi-identifiers for sensitive data fields in a dataset are provided. In one aspect, the system and method identifies quasi-identifier fields in the dataset based upon a static analysis of program statements in a computer program having access to—sensitive data fields in the dataset. In another aspect, the system and method identifies quasi-identifier fields based upon a dynamic analysis of program statements in a computer program having access to—sensitive data fields in the dataset. Once such quasi-identifiers have been identified, the data stored in such fields may be anonymized using techniques such as k-anonymity. As a result, the data in the anonymized quasi-identifiers fields cannot be used to infer a value stored in a sensitive data field in the dataset.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing new services is disclosed whereby a model of the system implementing a new service is created by a function referred to herein as a Service Designer and then different views of the service from the perspective of individual OSS subsystems are published at a Service Hub for use in configuring new services. When a request for service arrives at a subsystem in the network, such as an ordering system, that subsystem will illustratively request a view of the service from the Service Hub. This view is representative of the interfaces and attributes common between the requesting subsystem and other network components, with interfaces to the requesting subsystem. The requesting subsystem then uses this view to transmit values of attributes that are defined to be communicated between the requesting subsystem and other network components.

Abstract: A system and method to enable dynamic partner selection and subsequent order fulfillment by a service provider is presented. The system and method has an order entry device for obtaining an order, a service specification corresponding to the order, a flow execution engine, a partner selector mechanism, at least one partner, and at least one component obtained from the service specification, the component being broadcast from the partner selector mechanism to the partner, who responds to the broadcast, such that all of the partner responses are optimized by the partner selector mechanism for execution by said flow execution engine to fulfill the order.

Abstract: Systems, methods and programs for determining a question posed to a user during a user authentication process are provided. An example of a method for determining the question comprises obtaining user commercial activity, storing the user commercial activity by activity type, generating a set of candidate questions for a user based upon the user commercial activity, each candidate question in the set of candidate questions is associated with a score, selecting one candidate question from the set of the candidate questions based upon a first selection criteria, detecting a vendor placement opportunity in the selected candidate question by analyzing the user commercial activity and adding a vendor name into the selected candidate question based upon the detecting. The user commercial activity can be user purchases of goods and services from corresponding vendors. Lost Opportunities for the placement of an advertisement are detected and recorded.

Abstract: A system and method for allowing external execution-time adaptation of application behavior of an application in a telecommunication system without modification to the application code comprises an application having at least one break point and residing on an application server, at least one identifiable decision engine, and a listing of break points that has for each break point at least one identifier of the decision engine, such that at one of the break points, the application accesses the listing of break points, invokes the listed instances of the decision engine corresponding to the break point, and adapts application behavior based on the decision engine. In addition, each entry in the listing of break points can have a sequence number so that if two entries for the same break point have equal sequence numbers, the decision engines identified in these entries can be invoked in parallel.

Abstract: Input data queries directed at a plurality of target databases and originating from any of a plurality of sources are first converted to validated canonical forms, which are then used to query the target databases. Specifically, upon receiving an input data query, a relatively accurate reference database is selected based on the type of the input data. This reference is then queried for the input data with the intent of finding an exact matching record or a near-matching record that can be considered an exact match and thereby validating the input data. Otherwise, the requesting source is instructed to provide a new query. Once having a validated record, it is converted to a canonical form, which is then used to query the target databases intended to be searched. In a further embodiment, multiple reference databases are queried to determine a canonical form of the data or to determine multiple canonical forms of the data.

Abstract: A system and method for determination of advertisement effectiveness is presented. The method can comprise obtaining records for domain elements, for each domain element, developing a model and populating the model based on the obtained records, for a record of a first domain element of the plurality of domain elements, searching a second domain element for another record matching the record of the one domain element, when a match is found, correlating a time stamp in the record with a time stamp in the other record and when correlated, determining a confidence level indicating the advertisement effectiveness. In one aspect, determining a confidence level further comprises searching a third domain element, obtaining a search result, and incorporating the search result in the confidence level. In one aspect, searching a third domain element further comprises performing a secondary search.

Abstract: An obfuscated network traffic server is operative to generate obfuscated network traffic. The obfuscated network traffic server maintains the relationship between extracted application content and extracted network header content such that the obfuscated network traffic is indistinguishable from the monitored network traffic. The obfuscated network traffic server may include a network monitor operative to monitor network traffic and to extract application content and network header content from the monitored network traffic. The obfuscated network traffic server may also include a data masking processor operative to mask a portion of the separated application content and/or the separated network header content. The obfuscated network traffic server may further include a masking attribute selector operative to specify the attributes of the application content and/or the network header content that is to be masked.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling and managing delivery of digital media to devices on a home network is presented. The system comprises an application server executed by a physical or virtual CPU, the application server notified by each device when each device initializes, a plurality of plug-ins, each device corresponding to at least one plug-in, and a control plane, wherein the control plane receives notice of an event from one device and sends the notice of the event to the application server, which sends the notice of the event to the plug-in corresponding to the one device having the event, and the plug-in performs the event. The plug-in can perform the event by streaming content data to a desired device. The application server can maintain user information and when the plug-in performs the event, the plug-in updates the user information. The application server can have an interactive program guide.

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for automatically extracting information from ongoing voice communications. A signal is received at an electronic processor indicating that a portion of an ongoing communication is to be recorded. As a result of that signal, the ongoing communication is recorded and then analyzed to identify information suitable for storage in an address directory of a participant to the communication maintained in an electronic storage medium. Thereafter, the extracted information is sent to that address directory for storage there. In the alternative, when the extracted information is a telephone number, a call based upon that number may be placed automatically and connected into the ongoing communication.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for synchronizing related entries in different electronically stored directories. In one implementation, the method includes the steps of: storing first entries in a first directory, one of a plurality of directories, the first entries having first fields for different types of information and each first field having a related stored confidence level indicating the degree of confidence of the accuracy of the data stored in each first field; storing second entries in related second fields in a second memory, each of the second field entries having a corresponding stored confidence level; determining when a change has been made to a field of an entry; and updating the corresponding field in the other directory with a confidence level for the field when a change exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: A system and methods provide an annotated advertisement referral for presentation on an electronic device by employing the steps of receiving at an electronic processor an indication of a referral of an advertisement and the identity of a target to whom the advertisement is referred, and then directing the electronic signal representing a version of that advertisement to an electronic device associated with that target to whom the advertisement is referred. Preferably, that directed electronic signal includes an indication of the origin of the referral and a ranking of the advertisement given by the referring party.

Abstract: A system and method for automated determination of quasi-identifiers for sensitive data fields in a dataset are provided. In one aspect, the system and method identifies quasi-identifier fields in the dataset based upon a static analysis of program statements in a computer program having access to—sensitive data fields in the dataset. In another aspect, the system and method identifies quasi-identifier fields based upon a dynamic analysis of program statements in a computer program having access to—sensitive data fields in the dataset. Once such quasi-identifiers have been identified, the data stored in such fields may be anonymized using techniques such as k-anonymity. As a result, the data in the anonymized quasi-identifiers fields cannot be used to infer a value stored in a sensitive data field in the dataset.

Abstract: Input data queries directed at a plurality of target databases and originating from any of a plurality of sources are first converted to validated canonical forms, which are then used to query the target databases. Specifically, upon receiving an input data query, a relatively accurate reference database is selected based on the type of the input data. This reference is then queried for the input data with the intent of finding an exact matching record or a near-matching record that can be considered an exact match and thereby validating the input data. Otherwise, the requesting source is instructed to provide a new query. Once having a validated record, it is converted to a canonical form, which is then used to query the target databases intended to be searched. In a further embodiment, multiple reference databases are queried to determine a canonical form of the data or to determine multiple canonical forms of the data.

Abstract: Input data queries directed at a plurality of target databases and originating from any of a plurality of sources are first converted to validated canonical forms, which are then used to query the target databases. Specifically, upon receiving an input data query, a relatively accurate reference database is selected based on the type of the input data. This reference is then queried for the input data with the intent of finding an exact matching record or a near-matching record that can be considered an exact match and thereby validating the input data. Otherwise, the requesting source is instructed to provide a new query. Once having a validated record, it is converted to a canonical form, which is then used to query the target databases intended to be searched. In a further embodiment, multiple reference databases are queried to determine a canonical form of the data or to determine multiple canonical forms of the data.

Abstract: A system and method to enable dynamic partner selection and subsequent order fulfillment by a service provider is presented. The system and method has an order entry device for obtaining an order, a service specification corresponding to the order, a flow execution engine, a partner selector mechanism, at least one partner, and at least one component obtained from the service specification, the component being broadcast from the partner selector mechanism to the partner, who responds to the broadcast, such that all of the partner responses are optimized by the partner selector mechanism for execution by said flow execution engine to fulfill the order.

Abstract: A system and method for allowing external execution-time adaptation of application behavior of an application in a telecommunication system without modification to the application code comprises an application having at least one break point and residing on an application server, at least one identifiable decision engine, and a listing of break points that has for each break point at least one identifier of the decision engine, such that at one of the break points, the application accesses the listing of break points, invokes the listed instances of the decision engine corresponding to the break point, and adapts application behavior based on the decision engine. In addition, each entry in the listing of break points can have a sequence number so that if two entries for the same break point have equal sequence numbers, the decision engines identified in these entries can be invoked in parallel.

Abstract: A peer-to-peer based secondary key search method and system for cluster databases is disclosed. A cluster database has a plurality of storage nodes and each storage node is assigned with a node number and stores a plurality of records. A search term input means couples to the plurality of storage nodes for retrieving a record at a storage node. The search term input means calculates a first node number based on a hash function of a secondary key, queries the first storage node with the secondary key for retrieving a corresponding primary key, calculates a second node number based on a hash function of the primary key, and then queries the second storage node with the primary key for retrieving a corresponding record.